Thaumaturgy
by Bluebox345
Summary: Lila Cromwell is Jacob Kowalski's neighbor who is beginning her work as a secretary at the New York County National Bank. Checking upon Mr. Kowalski after his rejected loan for his bakery, Lila is thrown into a world that she never imagined existed… a world of fairy-tale and magic.
1. Prologue

**Thaumaturgy**

 _ **Bluebox345**_

 **A/N:** Hey guys! I have also written other stories for _Avengers, Doctor Who, Guardians of the Galaxy and Torchwood_ , if any are interested. I picture Lila Cromwell to look a bit like Ashley Johnson from _Blindspot_. Her 'theme song', for fun, is _Event Horizon_ in the album _Hits, Vol. 1_ by Hi-Finesse.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ , JK Rowling does. This disclaimer extends throughout the entire story (which is a given). I only own my OC's and plot twists that aren't in the movie. I also don't own the cover image, I found it on Google.

 **Important Inf:** The solid line is a scene change. _Italics_ is magic. **Bold** is writing. 'Single apostrophe' is character thoughts. "Double apostrophe" is speaking.

 **Summary:** Lila Cromwell is Jacob Kowalski's neighbor who is beginning her work as a secretary at the New York County National Bank. Checking upon Mr. Kowalski after his rejected loan for his bakery Lila, is thrown into a world that she never imagined existed… a world of fairytale and magic.

 **Updates:** This story will update on the first Saturday of each month. This 'book' will consist of 11 chapters.

* * *

 **Prologue**

 _ **1926, New York**_

A black car pulled up to an apartment building and a woman in her mid twenties got out of the passenger seat. She buttoned the top button of her long dark blue trench coat and went around to the trunk of the car. The driver, an elderly man of seventy got out and went to help. They carried three suitcases from the car to the apartment and disappeared inside.

After climbing up the stairs, she took out the keys and unlocked the apartment number eleven. The two carried the suitcases into the small apartment. "I wish your mother was alive to see you on this day." The man expressed, looking down on the woman.

"Papa, I'm only getting a job."

"Yes sweetheart, but you're in the big city now. No more country gal for you Lila. You're doing so well for yourself, gettin' a job at that bank." Papa stated.

The women, now identified as Lila, stuttered, "I-it's only a secretarial position Papa."

Papa smiled and stepped closer to his daughter, "But you're gettin' along by yourself… without me."

"Papa-" Interrupted Lila who was interrupted again by her father.

"Sweetheart. I think it's time you stepped into the world. You don't need a daft old man to take care of anymore holding you back. You're good at what you do. Make sure they see that."

Lila bit her lip, "Oh Papa." She rushed forward and gave her father a big tight hug. After all, they wouldn't be seeing each other every day now. More like twice or three times per year. The father and daughter hugged for some time before they broke away from each other. Papa rubbed away tears that started trickling down her cheeks.

"Be strong and don't forget who you are."

"I won't Papa."

The father and daughter duo hugged again before the father looked around the apartment one last time and walked out of the apartment. Lila ran to the window that was facing the street and opened it to look down on the street below. She saw her father walk out of the building and stop at the car. He looked up at her and waved. She waved back and he circled around the car to the drivers door, got in and drove away.

Lila stayed by the window watching her father drive out of sight. She took a deep breath. Everything would be fine. Nothing bad would happen.

* * *

Wizarding World Newspaper Titles:

 **GELLERT GRINDELWALD: DARK WIZARD STRIKES AGAIN IN EUROPE**

 **HOGWARTS SCHOOL INCREASES SECURITY**

 **GIGGLE WATER: AMERICA'S FAVORITE MERRY MAKING** **MELANGE**

 **DARK WIZARD TERROR THREAT**

 **WIZARDS BAFFLED: IS SOCCER THE NO-MAJS QUIDDITCH?**

 **GRINDELWALD ATTACKS IMMINENT: RISKING WAR WITH NO-MAJS**

 _ **I.C.W. CONVENED FOR EMERGENCY TALKS**_

 **BEAST OWNERSHIP- BAN CONTINUED IN THE U.S.**

 **ANTI-WIZARD SENTIMENT ON THE RISE**

 **PICQUERY CALLS FOR CALM**

 **WITCH CAUGHT ISSUING FAKE WAND PERMITS**

 **WHERE IS GRINDELWALD?**

 **WO IST GRINDELWALD?**

 **À LA RECHERCHE DE GRINDELWALD?**

 **IS ANYONE SAFE?**

 _ **GRINDELWALD SPREADS FEAR WORLD WIDE**_

* * *

A steamship sailed into the New York city harbor passing the Statue of Liberty on the way in. Excited passengers stood on the deck of the ship to see the first views of the city. A man, who looked to be around twenty sat on a bench taking in the sites with a small suitcase off to the side.

The man grabbed the handle of the bag to pick it up when suddenly the left latch flipped open. He sighed, closed it and pulled up the suitcase to rest it on his lap. He leaned over it protectively and whispered, "Dougal, settle down now, please." In response the man heard deep grumbling, "It won't be long." He breathed out and crossed his arms over the brown suitcase and rested his chin on his hands. It had been a long journey.

* * *

Eventually the steamship docked and the man waited his turn to disembark the ship and walked down the plank to solid land.

"Next." A board custom's official called. The man internally sighed. Another line.

Finally it was his turn. He handed his passport and travel documents to the customs official that was in charge of the line he was in. The official flipped to the photo page and looked down at the photo then back up at the man. "British huh?"

"Yes."

"First trip to New York?"

"Yes."

"Anything edible in there?" The customs officer motioned to the bag he was carrying.

The man shook his head, "No."

"Livestock?"

At that moment the right latch flipped open and the man seemed to deflate just a bit, "I must get that fixed. Um, no."

"Let me take a look." The officer set down the passport to look at the brown suitcase that the man was carrying. The man swung his arm up to put the suitcase on the desk facing himself. In a sleight of hand move he brought a piece of metal out of the locking mechanism which moved a sigh up that said **muggle** and **worthy**. He stopped at the one on top.

The customs officer turned the suitcase around to face him and opened it up to find folded clothes, undergarments, binoculars, a small clock that was ticking, a magnifying glass, a New York City green tourist book and a folded map with circles around spots in the city. The officer closed the suitcase and stated, "Welcome to New York."

"Thank you."

"Next." The officer stated in a board tone.

* * *

In a different part of the city an elderly man was describing the events that occurred to have one side of the building to a detective which seemingly collapse while onlookers watched. "And it was like a…. Like a wind. Or like a… like a ghost. But dark. And I saw it's eyes. Shining white eyes."

The reporter and the witness now stood in the ruined building. The reporter sighed, defeated. This man was crazy. He couldn't write this down, "A dark wind, with eyes?" He asked in a skeptic tone.

The elderly man, who now stood taller than him, having climbed up a bit on the rubble, held out both arms, "It's like a dark mass. And it dove down there." He pointed with his right hand at the ground, "Down underground. Someone ought to do something about it. It's everywhere this thing. It's out of control."

The photographer walked up and asked, "Hey, did you get anything?"

"Dark wind, blah, blah."

The photographer huffed, "Some sorta atmospheric hooey. Or electrical."

"Hey, you thirsty?" Asked a reporter to his photographer, holding out his flask.

"Nah. I'm on the wagon. Promised Martha I'd lay off."

While this was going on a fourth man had walked up the staircases to the landing, which had no floor or second floor to go to when there was a loud hissing sound.

"It's atmospheric." Concluded the photographer.

The wall suddenly cracked and while the men stared at the cracking wall, the bricks next to the building sprayed up. The road ripped up and dug down the road pushing cars and people out of the way and even forcing a car onto its side. The top side of a building had some of the bricks collapse from it and the glass walls of the subway train station shattered, causing the people surrounding it to scream and cover their heads.

The man ran down the stairs to stare at the huge trench that was now in the road in disbelief… and a twinge of a smile.

* * *

Lila Cromwell collected some of the papers on her boss, Mr. Bingley's, desk before taking them to another room where she learned that the records were kept. This was her first day at work at her new job. So far it only consisted of her running miscellaneous errands that no one else wanted to do. She knew that this was hazing and that the other secretaries wanted to make sure she could do the job before she was thrust into bigger projects. She didn't let herself get down by it. It was her first day after all.

As she exited the records room, she heard a commotion from a window in the hallway that faced the street. It was ajar slightly and could see a crowd growing which encircled a women dressed in blue while a flag stood behind her being held by a man in black clothes while a little girl held what looked to be pamphlets. Lila listened as the women gave her speech.

"This city sparkles with the jewels of man's inventions. Movie theaters, automobiles, the wireless, electric lights, all dazzle and bewitch us. But where there is light, there is shadow, friend. Something is stalking our city, wreaking destruction, and then disappearing without a trace. Listen to me! We have to fight. Join us, the Second Salemers, in our fight. You hear me? We have to fight together for the sake of our-" The woman's speech was cut off when a man tripped and fell to the ground over another man's suitcase.

"Hey, watch it." Another man exclaimed.

"So sorry. My case."

The man stood up and exhaled, "No harm done. Excuse me." And he raced up the steps to the bank.

As the man who tripped him turned around, the stern-looking woman called out, "You!" The man turned back around, "Friend," She stepped a couple steps down, "What drew you to our meeting today?"

"Oh, I was just passing."

"Are you a seeker? A seeker after truth?"

"I'm more of a chaser, really."

"Hear my words, and heed my warning. And laugh if you dare. Witches live among us. We have to fight together for the sake of our children. For the sake of tomorrow. What do you say to that, friend?"

The man seemed to look off to the distance before stared straight ahead, seemingly at something past the women and stated quickly, "Excuse me." Before rushing towards the bank.

Lila sighed. It was just mumbo jumbo anyway. She turned around to go back to her work.

* * *

The man walked into the bank with a suitcase looking for the creature that had just escaped from his suitcase. While he was looking around, totally lost, a bank greeter, "Can I help you, sir?"

"No, I was just… just waiting." He walked over to sit on the bench. The guy he un-meaningfully tripped outside was sitting at the other end, waiting for an appointment.

"Hi." He sighed, "What brings you here?"

"Same as you."

"You're here to get a loan to open up a bakery?" The man asked in shock.

"Yes."

"What are the odds of that? Well, may the best man win." He held out his hand to shake when the other man looked over his shoulder, grabbed his suitcase and abruptly left.

"Excuse me."

The bakery man stared down at the bench at the egg the other man had left behind. "Hey! Hey mister! Hey mister! Hey fella!"

"Mr. Kowalski, Mr. Bingley will see you now." A young blond secretary, around twenty years of age called.

Mr. Kowalski breathed out, "Okay." He put the egg in his pocket and straightened his suit as he walked to the room. "Okay." he exhaled again and chuckled nervously.

* * *

Meanwhile, the man who lost the creature chased after it as it stacked any type of money of jewelry off of unsuspecting victims, hoping from purse to purse.

* * *

Inside the office, Mr. Bingley looked through the drawings that Mr. Kowalski did of the bakery that he wanted to run. The egg rattled and pecking sounded from the inside. Mr. Kowalski nervously looked down in his pocket before returning his gaze at Mr. Bingley.

"You're currently working... in a canning factory." That seemed like a question and a statement to Kowalski.

"That's the best I can do. I only got back in, uh, twenty-four."

"Got back?" Mr. Bingley shook his head in confusion.

"From Europe, Sir. Yeah. I was part of the expeditionary forces there." He made a shoveling motion with his hands to explain what they did.

* * *

The man finally spotted his creature under a table facing off with a pug for a piece of jewelry it wore around its neck. He chased after it but it was too quick and made it's way over to the top of the gold banisters which separated the public from the money.

* * *

Back in the office, Mr. Kowalski took out his brown suitcase- the same suitcase that the strange man was carrying- to show baked goods, "Alright-"

Mr. Bingley cut his display off, "Mr. Kowalski,"

Mr. Kowalski put his hand out to signal him to stop and continued, "Mr. Bingley, you've gotta try the paczkies, okay? It's my grandmother's recipe. The orange zest just-"

"Mr. Kowalski, what do you propose to offer the bank as collateral."

"Collateral?"

"Collateral." Mr. Bingley whispered back. Mr. Kowalski ran his hand above the suitcase as a display but that apparently wasn't enough to satisfy Mr. Bingley, "There are machines now that can produce a hundred donutnuts an hour."

Mr. Kowalski was deflating by the second, "I know. But they're nothing what I can do. You-"

"The bank must be protected." Mr. Bingley stated rather rudely interrupting him. "Mr. Kowalski. Good day to you." He ran a bell on the desk to signify that the meeting had drawn to a close.

* * *

The man finally spotted his creature underneath the bottom cart of a trolley of money headed deeper into the bank. The man stared after it in disbelief, trying to find a way to get back his creature without being arrested for stealing.

Mr. Kowalski walked out of the office while the young secretary apologized to him. "Sorry 'bout him. Looks like he's had a rough morning. Try not to take it too personally."

"Yeah." Mr. Kowalski sighed in return then the egg in his pocket started to break apart. He took it out in front of the secretary.

"You brought an egg in with you?" The secretary asked, confused. Well, this was an interesting first day to be sure.

"Hey, mister English Guy." Mr. Kowalski nodded to indicate the egg in his hand, "I think you're eggs hatching."

An elevator dinged in the distance and the man pulled out a stick, pointed it at Mr, Kowalski and the secretary and pulled the patron and the secretary to him and all three of them disappeared.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1- Chaos on the First Day**

Lila Cromwell didn't know what was happening. One moment she was comforting Mr. Kowalski on failing to get a loan because Mr. Bingley was having a bad morning, and the next she was flung toward a man and then disappeared and reappeared in a different part of the bank, were the general public shouldn't be… and neither should she.

"What just happened?" Mr. Kowalski stuttered out.

Lila rested her back against the wall of the staircase they were currently in, 'Oh misery me, what was happening? How did she get from the main bank entrance to this staircase?' she thought, on the verge of panicking. Out loud she stated in what she hoped was a steady tone, "I would like to know that answer as well. If you're trying to steal from the bank, I don't know anything. I'm just a secretary. Today's my first day." She winced to herself as her voice went up an octave at 'day.'

Part of the egg cracked open in Mr. Kowalski's hand and the stranger put the stick clenched in his mouth and grabbed the egg from him in a motherly manner as the blue bird, chirped. "Shh." The stranger walked slowly down the stairs as the bird kept chirping.

Mr. Kowalski stammered after him and Lila turned to the bank client, "Are you okay? He didn't hurt you?" She asked. There was only one explanation that Lila could think of for what was happening... the bank was being robbed. The robber was using her and this bank patron to do it. 'This... this didn't normally happen on first day's, did it? Perhaps it was Mr. Bingly's idea of testing her.'

"Y-yeah, m'fine." The two stared at each other before quickly following after the stranger. "But, excuse me?" Mr. Kowalski questioned. Mr Kowalski looked to the left to see were he came from and saw Mr. Bingley staring straight at him. He sat heavily down on the stairs, pulling Lila down with him, "I was over there, came over..." He whispered, trying to make sense of what just happened. "I was over there…."

Lila was having an inner argument with herself. One of the arguments was for her to run away and sound the alarm. The other was to investigate what this stranger was doing. The investigative trait won. Lila grabbed Mr. Kowalski's arm, "Come on. Let's see what he's up to. If he's robbing the bank, this is the strangest robbery I've ever seen. Granted I've only been here a day, but most of the time, from the stories I've heard robbers just take out a gun. He didn't do that."

The two got up from the steps and walked cautiously to the stranger who had his brown suitcase open and looked as if he was coxing the bird inside it. The egg shell was on the floor next to the suitcase. "In you go." He whispered.

"Hello?" Mr. Kowalski asked cautiously, Lila stood next to him. She did notice that Mr. Kowalski stepped forward a bit, effectively putting some cover in front of Lila. Lila sighed at his gentlemanly act, being too shocked and scared to protest.

"No." The stranger said, probably toward the bird, "Everyone settle down."

"Oh." Lila whispered, staring at the large bank vault, shaking her head. She had known the staircase had lead down into the vault, but to see the gigantic vault for the first time, especially when she wasn't supposed too, made her panic, "Cussadang we shouldn't be down here."

"Stay." The stranger continued. It sounded like he had more than one bird. 'Was he some sort of animal trafficker?' "Dougal, don't make me come in there. Don't make me come down there."

Lila looked at the vault, startled as some sort of creature slipped through the sealed vault. She backed up slowly.

"No. Absolutely not." The stranger took his wand out of his mouth, pointed it at the bank vault, and stated, " _Alohmora_." Slowly but surely, the bank vault opened up.

"You _are_ robbing it!" Shouted Lila. 'This wasn't happening.' Lila thought to herself, 'This couldn't be happening on her first day. It was her first day! Things like this didn't happen on first days.'

The stranger turned around just in time as Mr. Bingley appeared behind them, "Oh, so you're going to steal the money, huh?"

Lila looked around with wide eyes, "Mr. Bingley, it's not my fault." She stammered, frightened. She was so getting canned for this if she didn't explain properly.

But before Lila could explain Mr. Bingley turned his head toward her, moving his eyes up and down her small form, "Ah, Ms. Cromwell... You're fired."

Lila's mouth dropped open, she hadn't done anything to support the man that was trying to rob the bank, "Sir, please. I need this job. It's my first day, I need the money." Lila winced as that came out. The excuse 'I need the money' was probably the most terrible one she could come up with at the present considering he was accusing her of robbing the bank.

"Then you shouldn't have helped criminals." Mr. Bingley snapped and pressed the alarm sound which sounded throughout the bank.

Suddenly the stranger turned around, pointed his stick at Mr. Bingley and said clearly, " _Petrificus Totalus_." Mr. Bingley's body straightened stiff and fell to the ground with a loud thud.

"Mr. Bingley!" Mr. Kowalski and Lila exclaimed. Lila rushed over to her boss and checked his pulse. 'Still alive then.' A sound of the door opening alerted her to the fact that the robbers were getting what they wanted.

She stood up and marched over to the stranger and Mr. Kowalski, placing a hand on the stranger's right arm, "Sir, stop, please." She shook her head, "Don't rob the bank."

The stranger set down his suitcase, completely ignoring her, and rushed into the vault to see a creature in one of the drawers with gold bars, necklaces and money apparently sticking out of him. She sighed in annoyance as the apparent bank robber completely brushed her off. The stranger sighed and said, "Really?" He grabbed him, turned the strange animal upside down and shook it. Gold bars, money and jewelry came pouring out seemingly of nowhere onto the bank vault floor. "No. Don't play that."

Lila and Mr. Kowalski glanced at each other, mostly to assure one another that this was actually happening and not some nightmare. Lila heard footsteps approaching. Guards… finally. "Help!" She yelled, "Down here!" At that, she finally got recognition from the stranger but it was more of an annoyed look.

"Oh no." Mr. Kowalski alerted the stranger who rushed back outside the vault with the creature. "No no no. Don't shoot. Don't shoot!" The three guards spread out, covering the only exit when the stranger grabbed Mr. Kowalski and Lila and they disappeared from the bank and reappeared outside the bank.

Oh, Lila was getting a massive headache from whatever witchcraft, or more likely, drugs, the stranger was doing.

"Right." The stranger stated, "For the last time, you pilfering pest, paws off what doesn't belong to you."

The man struggled to close the suitcase while a man outside the front of the bank shouted, "Someone's robbing the bank!"

"Awfully sorry about that." The stranger stated, still crouching in front of his brown suitcase while Mr. Kowalski and Lila breathed heavily against the wall, on the verge of a mental break down, away from prying eyes of the street.

Mr. Kowalski looked around the corner at the commotion and back at the stranger, "What the hell was that?" He pointed at the suitcase.

"Nothing that need concern you. Now, unfortunately you've seen far too much." Mr. Kowalski leaned back against the wall when the stranger pulled him forward and dusted off his shoulders, seemingly to straighten his clothing out, "If you wouldn't mind, just stand right there, you as well, Miss."

"What are you going to do?" Lila asked in a small voice. Oh how she had made a huge mistake coming to the big city.

"This will be over in a jiffy."

Mr. Kowalski nodded and picked up his suitcase, swinging it and hitting the stranger in the head, knocking him over. He grabbed Lila's hand and said, "Come on!" The two ran toward the street and away from the man who had just ruined their lives. They both stopped sharply at the street, where the police presence was the strongest. They walked as calmly as they could and disappeared into the crowd.

* * *

Back in the alleyway next to the bank, the stranger was rubbing the back of his head in pain and staring off in the direction that Ms. Cromwell and Mr. Kowalski had ran, "Bugger."

A woman with a determined look marched up to him and the stranger sighed and rested against the wall that Mr. Kowalski had just rested moments before. He collected himself, grabbed the last brown suitcase and walked fast, trying to follow the two. The woman grabbed a hold of the stranger and disappeared from the alleyway to reappear in an abandoned doorway, out of sight of the bank.

The woman pushed the stranger against the brick indented doorway, "Who are you?"

"I'm sorry." The stranger avoided the question.

"Who are you?" The woman repeated.

Finally the stranger answered, "Newt Scamander. And you are?"

"What's that thing in your case?" The woman asked out of breath.

"That's my Niffler. Say, you've got something on your-"

The woman pulled back as Newt moved his hand close to her face. It seemed like it was mustard, "Why in the name of Deliverance Dane did you let that thing loose?"

Newt sighed, "I didn't mean too. He's incorrigible, you see. Anything shiny and he's all over-"

"You didn't mean too?" The woman cut him off.

"No."

The woman stared at him in exasperation, "You could not have chosen a worse time to let that creature loose. We're in the middle of a situation here." She stared at him a moment before making up her mind. "I'm taking you in."

"Taking me in where?" Newt asked.

The woman pulled out an identification card and said, "Magical Congress of the United States of America."

"So you work for M.A.C.U.S.A. What are you, some kind of investigator?"

The woman seemed to nod before straightening up. "At least tell me you took care of the two No-Majs."

Newt looked up at the woman, confused. "The what?"

"The No-Majs." The woman sighed, "No-Magic. The non-wizard and non-witch!"

"Oh." Newt breathed out. "We call them muggles."

"You wiped their memory, right?"

"The No-Maj with the case and the girl?"

Newt looked down, "Um."

The woman sighed, "Oh. That's a Section 3-A Mr. Scamander. I'm taking you in." They disappeared from the hidden doorway.

* * *

The woman took Newt Scamander to Woolworth Building and one of the earliest skyscrapers built. It also happened to be the Government building for M.A.C.U.S.A. They appeared in a back alleyway near the building and the woman grabbed Newt's arm and pulled him towards the building. "Come on."

"Sorry, but I do actually have things to do." Newt said, trying to get out of this. He wasn't stupid, he had seen that Newspaper stating that there still was a magical beasts ban in the United States. And that was where he currently was.

"Well," The woman scoffed, "You'll have to rearrange them. What are you doing in New York anyway?"

"I came to buy a birthday present."

"Couldn't you have done that in London?" The woman asked, looking at Newt with a weird expression.

"No, there's only one breeder of Appaloosa Puffskeins in the world and he lives in New York. So, no."

They stopped at the regular door entrance where there was a guard. The woman went up to the guard and stated, "I got a Section 3-A." The guard nodded and opened the door. "Hey." The woman said to Newt. "By the way, we don't allow the breeding of magical creatures in New York. We closed that guy down a year ago."

The two walked into the government building and up the staircase. A big clock was hovering above the open entrance-way area. It was a threat reader which was currently on Unexplained Activity. Windows from the outside shown in, illuminating the building. Black floors made a square around the center with banisters blocking off seemingly never ending drop. Two magical elevators were on either side of the whole while the threat reader hung in the middle over it. On the far back wall was what looked like the 'front desk' area.

Newt looked above to see that the magical skyscraper stretched into the clouds and had a ceiling like that of Hogwarts in the Great Hall. Around there were men reading the magical newspaper on benches while house elf's cleaned their wands.

The woman dragged Newt over to the elevator where a house elf operated it. "Hey Goldstein." the house elf stated.

Ms. Goldstein responded in the same tone, "Hey Red." She pushed Newt in the elevator in front of her and she followed, leaning her back up against the elevator and cleared her throat, "Major Investigation Department."

"I thought you was-"

Ms. Goldstein cut him off, looking down at him, "Major." Then paused for emphasis, "Investigation Department. I got a Section 3-A."

With a wand the house elf hit a button, the elevator door closed and they began their decent down.

* * *

A newspaper on a desk read: **MAGICAL DISTURBANCE RISK WIZARDING EXPOSURE**.

"The International Confederation is threatening to send a delegation." President Seraphina Picquery of M.A.C.U.S.A. stated to her team. "They think this is related to one of Grindelwalds attacks in Europe."

The same man who was at the collapsed apartment earlier stated, "I was there." His hands flat on the desk and leaning over. He shook his head, "This is a beast. No human could do what this thing is capable of, Madam President."

President Picquery looked around at the four people gathered with her, "Whatever it is, one thing is clear. It must be stopped. Its terrorizing No-Majs. And when the No-Majs are afraid, they attack. This could mean exposure. It could mean war."

The private meeting was interrupted by Ms. Goldstein pulling a defeated looking Newt Scamander into the room. Both the President and the man who was leaning on the desk got up to go closer to them, "I made your position here quite clear, Ms. Goldstein."

Ms. Goldstein sighed, "Yes, Madam President. But I-"

The President interrupted her, "You're no longer an Auror."

"No. Madam President. But-"

"Goldstein." The President interrupted again.

"There's been a minor-" Ms. Goldstein tried to say what happened at the bank but was interrupted yet again.

"This office is currently concerned with very major incidents. Get out."

Ms. Goldstein pressed her lip, humiliated. "Yes Ma'am." She grabbed Newt by the arm and quickly left the room.

* * *

They took the elevator down more flights and darkly lit room with typewriters working on their own and a floating stack of papers by each desk. A sign hung above a desk that stated **Wand Permit Office.** Ms. Goldstein took off her coat and put it on her chair. Newt ducked under the sign to stand in front of her desk.

"So, you got your wand permit?" Goldstein asked, determined to get this guy on something. "All foreigners have to have them in New York."

Newt looked around, "I made a postal application weeks ago." He picked up his suitcase while Ms. Goldstein sat on the edge of her desk with a quill and notebook.

"Mr. Scamander…." Ms. Goldstein muttered to herself as she wrote the name down. She looked up at him, "And you were just in Equatorial Guinea?"

Newt nodded, "And I've just completed a year in the fields. I'm writing a book about magical creatures."

Ms. Goldstein looked at Newt, confused, "Like an extermination guide?"

Newt sighed, annoyed at the ignorance of people, "A guide to help people understand why we should be protecting these creatures instead of killing them."

"Goldstein?" A man's voice asked. At the sound of his voice, Goldstein panicked and hid behind the desk. "Where is she? Goldstein?" It was a young man who appeared to be her supervisor. "Goldstein?" Ms. Goldstein slowly stood up from her hiding place. "Did you just but in on the investigative team again?" Not saying anything, Ms. Goldstein straightened up and put the quill and notebook on the desk. "Where have you been?"

"What?"

The man sighed, turned to Newt and asked, "Where'd she pick you up?"

"Me?" Newt asked as Ms. Goldstein quickly shook her head.

"Have you been tracking them Second Salemers again?" Ms. Goldstein's supervisor asked.

"Of course not sir." Ms. Goldstein shook her head, completely lying.

Footsteps sounded and the man that was at the collapsed building and the private meeting stepped into view. "Mr. Graves, Sir." Goldsteins supervisor stated.

"Afternoon, Abernathy." Mr. Graves said. He stopped a bit from the desk and folded his hands behind his back.

Ms. Goldstein stepped forward to explain her earlier actions, her hands clasped in front of her, "Mr. Graves, Sir, this is Mr. Scamander. He has a crazy creature in that case and it got out and caused mayhem in a bank."

"Lets see the little guy." Mr. Graves said. Ms. Goldstein smiled and grabbed the suitcase from Newt before he could do anything and left him stammering.

Ms. Goldstein set the case on a bench and opened it up to reveil… pastries. Both Newt and Goldstein looked at each other, knowing what this meant. It meant that Mr. Kowalski had the other case… and was in great danger.

Mr. Graves sighed and walked away, "Tina."

* * *

Lila Cromwell and Mr. Kowalski hadn't let go of each other's hands since the bank, still in shock. Both were looking around the streets for the strange man who had burst into their lives, but no one had seemingly followed them. Everyone around them was walking around like it was a normal day when they had such a strange one.

"So," Mr. Kowalski asked, looking at Lila. "First day on the job at that bank?"

Lila sighed. "First and last, probably. I messed up. I had just moved here from the country too. I was so excited for this new job. For the city life, you know?" Lila sighed

"Yeah." Mr. Kowalski answered. "Do you need me to walk you back to your apartment?"

"Apartment." Lila breathed out. "My coat and purse are back at that bank. That includes my apartment key. I can't go back in there. I'm canned and they'll probably arrest me for attempted robbery."

"Oh." Mr. Kowalski stated, "I'm sorry 'bout that. Gettin' you canned. You can stay with me." As soon as Mr. Kowalski said that, he scrunched his face, as if he was astonished that he had the courage to ask that.

Lila noticed but didn't say anything, "Thank you, Mr. Kowalski."

They rounded the corner and Mr. Kowalski pointed to a building, "That's where I live."

Lila's eyes widened, "That's were my apartment is!"

Mr. Kowalski looked at her, "Coincidence?"

Lila let out a humph, "I wouldn't put it past that stranger to do something like that. Probably orchestrated the entire thing. You needed money for the bakery and I just moved here from the country side, wanting to prove myself to the boss. Perfect to blame, motive and all that."

* * *

After they had gotten into Mr. Kowalski's apartment, he set his brown case on his bead and made a pot of tea. "Would you like tea Ms. Cromwell?"

"Yes please. Oh, in all the commotion I didn't tell you my first name. I'm Lila. Lila Cromwell." She held out her hand for Mr. Kowalski to shake.

He took it and said, "Well, that is something I didn't do either. The name's Jacob."

Lila nodded her head, "Nice to meet you..., Jacob."

After the tea was finished in silence, the two still processing everything that had happened, Jacob Kowalski sat on his kitchen chair and stared at a picture of an elderly lady, "I'm sorry Grandma." Lila kept silent through this as Jacob put his head in his hands. She felt as if she was interrupting something private if she were to offer comfort. Lila instead used this time to think. 'The police will have our names by now. Probably our addresses. We will need to be out of here soon if they didn't want to get arrested and thrown into the slammer for something they didn't do.'

Suddenly they heard a sound of a latch on the suitcase unlatching. Looking at each other, Jacob slowly went over to the bed and sat at the end while moving to open the case. Lila stood over by the far wall, being cautious. After a day like today, she needed to be.

Jacob leaned in to unlatch the other when it unlatched by itself. A strange growling slash screeching sound came from inside it and Lila breathed out an, "Oh no." Jacob got out of the bed and pressed himself against the wall that the window was on. The growling stopped and Jacob inched forward.

Suddenly the suitcase burst open and an ugly unknown creature leaped out at Jacob, who caught the creature. "What the-" Jacob started before the creature growled and started to bite at him. Lila screamed in shock as another unseen creature seemed to burst from the case and hit the ceiling which caused part of it to come collapsing down onto Jacobs bed, shattering the light bulb and crashing out the window, shattering that too.

Lila screamed again as everything seemed to shatter and she crouched down to protect her head. Lila blinked and thought back to when Jacob stumbled into the strangers case outside the bank before they took off running. "You switched the cases!" She gasped as the creature began to attack Jacob. Jacob fell into his dresser which moved by the impact. A large crunch sounded as a line broke through the wall next to the window. She didn't know what was in the case but she did know that it must be no good if it caused this much damage if it opened.

Jacob's picture of his grandmother fell off the wall to reveal a whole as the crack got larger and larger to eventually reveal the outside.

Lila and Jacob glanced at each other as Lila stood up to look at the massive amount of damage done to the tiny apartment. Lila began to sway and she stumbled and put a hand out on the doorway beam that was supposed to be separating the living room/kitchen from Jacob's bedroom. Now it was just doorway beam and a pile of rubble that used to be the wall. Jacob was looking around in horror at what happened to his apartment. Lila swayed, unsteady, but slowly made her way towards Jacob in order to help him up. She stumbled over wall plaster and couldn't catch herself in time to stop herself from falling. 'Misery me.' was Lila's last thoughts as she hit her head on the corner of Jacob's dresser and blacked out.

* * *

 **A/N:** **Remember to leave a comment below and I'll answer your questions [well, most of them. Not the ones pertaining to future plot. Those are top secret :D] at the bottom of each chapter!**

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	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2- Beasts Loose**

On the desk behind the young girl playing hopscotch were pamphlets layed out saying: **WITCHES LIVE AMONG US** , **HEED MY WORDS! JOIN THE SECOND SALEMERS** , and **HERE HIS CALL: JOIN THE NEW SALMENERS ARMY! DEFY THE DEFILERS!** On the back wall of the small church was a quilt hanging which was the colors red, yellow and black showing two hands breaking a wand.

"My momma your momma, gonna catch a witch. My momma your momma, flying on a switch. My momma your momma, Witches never cry. My momma your momma, Witches gonna die."

Sang the little girl as she played hopscotch, "Witch number one, drown in the river. Witch number two, got a noose to giver her."

The singing trailed off as the older boy that was by the bank while the woman gave her speech clapped twice to make a pigeon that had gotten in the church fly away. An older women walked stiffly to the door holding a bell in her right hand. She opened the door to ring the bell in the streets, calling the orphaned children or poor children that don't have anything to eat inside to get a warm meal.

The girl started singing again as the bell stopped, "Witch number three, gonna watch her burn. Witch number four, flogging take a turn." The young girl trailed off as kids walked in for the meal.

The hungry orphans and poor kids stood crowding around the soup bowls while the woman in charge, the same one from earlier outside the bank stated, "Collect your leaflets before you get food, children." Begrudgingly, the children all shuffled to the women who, looked like she was in her mid twenties, began to hand out sections of the leaflets.

The elder boy began to dish out soup before the woman stopped him and leaned down to inspect a mark on one of the hungry boy's foreheads. "Is it a witches mark, Ma'am?"

The woman leaned back from inspecting and breathed out, "No. He's okay." The boy slowly took his food and stepped out of the line.

* * *

Tina Goldstein and Newt Scamander walked down the street while Tina carried Newt's case. "I can't believe you didn't obliviate those two. If there's an inquiry, I'm finished."

Newt looked at Tina, puzzled, "Why would you be finished? I'm the one that's-"

Tina sighed in resignation, "I'm not supposed to go near the Second Salemers." They stopped in their tracks as a blue bug, clearly magical, paused it's flying in front of them and then zipped away behind them, causing the two of them to stare after it then for it to turn around and fly the direction they were walking. A dog barked somewhere around them.

Newt started walking before Tina who ran a little to catch up, "What was that?"

A woman screamed.

"Uh, Moth, I think. Big Moth." Newt replied.

They could hear the screaming clearer now as they rounded the corner to see people escaping from a building that smoke was rising out of. People were gathered around it, watching. "Hey!" yelled a Policeman, "Quiet down! I'm trying to get a statement!"

Tina and Newt wove through the crowds toward the house. A woman replied to the Policeman, "I'm telling you, it's a gas explosion again. I ain't taking the kids back up there till it's safe."

"Hey, Sorry, Ma'am. There ain't no smell of gas." The Police officer told the mother who had her arms wrapped around her three children.

One of the tenants interrupted the Police officer, "It weren't gas, officer. I seen it." As he was speaking, Newt and Tina were passing behind him and as he spoke, Newt cast a silent spell on the crowd, "It was a gigantic, huge, hippopoto… gas. Gas. Yeah, it was gas." At the word gas, the crowd behind him seemed to agree and all said, it was gas.

People were still filing out of the building as Newt scrambled up the steps. Tina stood in place in the crowd, looking up at the blue Moth that was hovering above the crowd. Newt made it to the apartment and opened the door to hear Mr. Kowalski groaning. Where before there was a wall and window, a hole was in its place with a clear view of the building on the opposite street. The room was in shambles.

* * *

Back outside, Tina looked around the crowd, now noticing that her charge, Newt had escaped her. She jumped up to try to see over the clamoring crowd who was demanding answers to what happened.

* * *

In the apartment, Newt checked on Lila Cromwell first, who was passed out lying horizontal to Mr. Kowalski who was lying vertical. Lila seemed relatively unharmed, just a bump on the back of her head while Mr. Kowalski was in a more serious condition.

Mr. Kowalski groaned as Newt checked on the bitmark on his neck. In Jacob's drunk like state, he flailed his arm a bit, groaning. A door opened and Tina, who had entered the apartment building after Newt called, "Mr. Scamander!"

As Tina stormed up the stairs, Newt reset the room back to its original place, like nothing had ever happens, with a flourish of his wand. The outside magically repaired itself as well. The only things that were out of place was that Jacob and Lila were still unconscious on the bedroom floor.

All the bricks reset itself as Tina came storming into the room with an exasperated look as Newt closed the suitcase. "It was open?" She asked, breathless, having just ran up the stairs.

Newt looked up at her, "Just a smidge."

"That crazy Niffler thing's on the loose again?"

Newt stammered nervously, "Uh, might be."

Mr. Kowalski groaned again and Tina looked even more exasperated as she did before, "Well then look for it!" She went over to check on the two unconscious No-Majs after setting down Mr. Kowalski's case. "Look! Oh." She groaned. "His necks bleeding." Mr. Kowalski groaned again, "He's hurt. Oh. Wake up Mr. No-Maj." Tina screamed in shock as one of the creatures came flying out at her.

Newt scrambled off of the bed to catch the creature before it could do anymore damage. Newt grabbed it by its legs, opening up the case with his other hand.

"Mercy Lewis, what is that?"

He got the case open and stuffed it inside as both Jacob and Lila slowly came too, both groaning, Jacob from his neck injury and Lila from her concussion. "It's nothing to worry about." Newt stated. He closed the case with a thud and said heavily, "That is a Murtlap." Newt moved the case from laying on its 'back' to it's side.

Tina breathed out, "What else have you got in there?"

"You." Breathed out Mr. Kowalski, finally coming to some sort of consciousness.

Newt smiled like he knew he was in trouble, "Hello."

Mr. Kowalski tried to attack him but was pushed back by Tina, "Easy Mr. uh-"

Jacob looked at Tina, "Mr. Kowalski. Jacob."

"Uh, what's going on?" Lila asked. The room was spinning from her head bump but she could swear that she saw the guy from the bank stand up and point their stick at them. Tina jumped in front of them, stopping his motion.

"You can't _Obliviate_ them." Tina pointed out, "We need them as witnesses."

Newt sighed, very annoyed at this point and dropped the wand. "Sorry. You've just yelled at me the length of New York for not doing it in the first place."

"He's hurt! He looks ill! And she clearly has a head injury."

"He'll be fine. Murtlap bites aren't serious." Newt sighed in resignation as Jacob leaned over as if to throw up, "Well, I'll admit that is a slightly more severe reaction than I've seen. But if it was really serious, he'd have-" Newt trailed off, staring at Jacob as his but was positioned out at them, trying to use the wall to stand up.

Tina stood up to glare at Newt, "What?"

Newt sighed, "Well, the first symptom would be flames out of his anus."

At that Lila snorted and then covered her mouth as both Tina and Newt turned to stare at her. "Sorry." She said softly as the room span again.

"Well he doesn't seem to-" Newt continued.

Tina interrupted, "This is balled up!"

"It'll last forty-eight hours at the most." Newt diagnosed. "I can keep him if you want me to."

Tina scoffed, "Keep him? We don't keep them." Tina straightened up, clearing something out of her eye, "Mr. Scamander. Do you know anything about the wizarding community in America?"

"I do know a few things, actually. I know that you have rather backwards laws about relations with Non-Magic people. That you're not meant to befriend them. That you can't marry them, which seems mildly absurd to me."

Tina huffed and pointed her thumb back at Jacob, "Who's going to marry him?" Jacob stared at the two, insulted. "You're both coming with me."

"I don't see why I need to come with you." Newt stated.

"Hey!" Lila said sharply, standing up. In the process, the room spun so she fell over a bit so she grabbed onto Newt's arm to steady herself, "He's not going anywhere. You ruined our lives Mr. Scamander or whoever you are. I got fired because of you and now the police are probably after us as soon as Mr. Bingley wakes up and tells them who tried to rob the bank. If you insist on bringing him with you, take me as well. If I stay, I'll probably go to prison for something I didn't do."

After her short speech, Tina and Newt glanced at each other, "Fine. But you can help Tina carry Mr. Kowalski. Your name is-"

"Cromwell. As Mr. Bingley said in the bank. Lila Cromwell. I actually live in the apartment next this one."

Newt held out his hand for her to shake, "Well, Ms. Cromwell. I'm deeply sorry for ruining you day. My name is Newt Scamander."

Lila stared at the hand before hesitantly shaking it. "And before. You're conversation with Tina… you're a sorcerer?"

"Wizard actually." Newt stated as Tina was shaking her head fervently.

"So that stick-" Lila continued.

"My wand."

Lila breathed out heavily. "Wow. Okay. And you can do magic?"

Newt smiled, "That is what the term wizard applies, Ms. Cromwell."

"Okay, help now, talk later." Tina stated, still trying to carry Jacob.

"I'm dreaming, right?" Jacob asked as he fell to the floor again. "Yeah."

"Please." Tina pleaded to Newt. "Help me."

"I'm tired. I never went to the bank. This is all just some big nightmare, right?" Newt and Lila went to help Tina stand Mr. Kowalski up.

"For the both of us, Mr. Kowalski." Tina stated before the room disappeared with a series of black swirls.

After the group left the room, the picture frame that showed Jacob's grandmother fell off the wall with a loud crash to refill a hole in the wall with the Niffler that was clearly not back inside the case.

* * *

A young boy was walking next to his father licking a read lollipop as an apple floated in front of him, taken from the fruit stand they had just passed. The magical, invisible, creature took bites of the apple until it was all gone and it threw the apple onto the sidewalk. The young boy stared after it in amazement, his mouth hanging open in shock. He turned around to tell his father this until the same creature that ate the apple stole his lollipop. He turned in disbelief after it but it was already gone and out of his reach.

The lollipop was eaten in the same manner as the apple. The father and son passed a sign on a sidewalk that read, **DIVINE MAGIC BY: LIMA CARNEIRO**. The creature seemed to blend in with the sign then make a duplicate of the image of the red haired woman before turning invisible and walking down the street, still holding the mostly eaten lollipop. The invisible creature passed in front of a dog who began to bark, noting that something was there even when the muggles couldn't see it.

The creature knocked down a street stand which held drawings into traffic, causing the person riding a bicycle to serve out of the way to avoid hitting it. The bicycle movement cause the car driving next to it to do the same thing. The car behind that one honked. The bicycle swerved into oncoming traffic and a car going the other way hit the cyclist. "Hey! You alright there?" A man cried.

The traffic stopped as police officers and onlookers rushed towards the chaos caused by the invisible magical creature while it escaped unnoticed. It passed underneath the white police horses which reared back and whinnied with fear while the owners tried to calm them down.

* * *

Across town in a department store one of the magical creature's tail could be seen slithering into the corner window of the attic before expanding to room size, causing a loud thud and shingles to fall off the roof. The creature screeched.

* * *

The newsroom was busy. Indistinct chatter, phones going off and people typing filled the tall room. The elevator dinged and the woman who ran the Second Salemers, the young girl and a slightly older one and the older boy entered being lead by by what looked to be a tour guide. He stepped out of the elevator and spun around to face the group, "And this is the newsroom. Let's go."

The children looked around in awe as the woman was stiff as they followed the man. The boy took off his hat and held it. "Hey, how are you?" The 'tour' guide said to one of his colleagues as he passed by. Make way for the Barebones."

In the background a man was saying to someone else, "Now that's four hundred words-"

"Now, they're just putting the papers to bed." The man said, walking backward as he showed the family around. The guy grabbed a baseball bat and rested it on his shoulders and turned around to continue to walk forward with a noticeable saunter. "As they say."

The faint chatter seemed to dim a bit as slowly by surly the workers in the room stopped what they were doing to stare at the group being lead in. It appears as if The Barebones have a reputation.

A man stepped in front of his path, "Mr. Shaw, Sir. He's with the Senator."

"Never mind that, Barker. I wanna see my father." Mr. Shaw stated, clearly used to getting things done his way. He handed Mr. Barker the bat he had picked up randomly and shifted his grip on the black binder he was carrying. Mr. Barker stepped aside, knowing he couldn't argue against the owner's son.

Mr. Shaw pushed the doors to his father's work space open, "I'm sorry, Mr. Shaw. But you're son insisted." Mr. Barker stated by the doorway.

Mr. Shaw stepped quickly into the middle of the room, determined to tell his father the news he had heard from the Barebones, "Father, you're gonna want to hear this."

His father sat on a black armchair while the Senator sat next to him on a couch. A low wooden coffee table sat adjacent to them which had a campaign flyer on it as well as a magnifying glass and a paper document. His father held a glass of brown colored alcohol while the Senator held a pen in his right hand while a notepad rested on the arm of the black couch. It was clear that his son had interrupted an important meeting.

Mr. Shaw obviously didn't realize that he was interrupting something important and went over to his father's desk, lying the black binder on it for easy access. He laughed breathlessly, "I've got something huge." Mr. Shaw took out picture from the first building collapse.

"You're brother and I are busy here, Langdon." His father replied. Ouch. It was clear that Langdon was not the favored son. "Working on his election campaign. We don't have time for this."

His brother sighed as if this was a daily occurrence, "We don't have time for this."

Langdon continued as if he didn't hear the comments, "This is Mary Lou Barebone." The family, who had waited out of site from those in the room, now stepped forward into the room, looking around the majestic office, "From the New Salem Preservation Society. And she's got a big story for you." Langdon had turned around to face his father and brother, holding pictures in his left hand and motioning at the family with his right.

His father sighed and grumbled, "Oh she has, has she?" He stood up slowly.

"There's strange things going on all over the city. The people behind this are not like you and me." Langdon continued, having bought Mary Lou's pitch hook line and sinker. His brother looked down as if he could not believe his brother had fallen for this. It was clear to him that this family just wanted attention and to stop being poor.

Landon continued, "This is witchcraft, don't you see."

His father sighed in exasperation, "Langdon."

"She doesn't want any money." Langdon said quickly, thinking naively that this was what his father was concerned about.

His father was now in front of him by his father's desk, "Then either her story is worthless, or she's lying about the cost. Nobody gives away valuables for free, Langdon."

Mary Lou interrupted, "You're right, Mr. Shaw. What we desire is infinitely more valuable than money. It's you're influence. Millions of people read your newspapers and they need to be made aware of this danger." Mr. Shaw turned from his wayward son to Mary Lou.

"The crazy disturbances in the subway," Langdon continued, holding out pictures for his father to look at, "Just look at the pictures."

Mr. Shaw turned back toward Landon, "I'd like you and your friends to leave."

Landon shook his head, "No, look. You're missing the trick hear! Just look at the evidence!"

His father sighed, "Really?"

"Langdon." His elder brother got up off the couch to go over to him, "Listen to father and just go. Take the freaks with you."

"This is father's office, not yours." Langdon stated stubbornly, not willing to let this story go. They always didn't listen to him. This time he would make them. "And I'm sick of this. Every time I walk in here-"

His father interrupted his rant, "Okay, that's it!" Langdon stopped speaking immediately at the tone of his father's voice. He knew he had just screwed up again. Him, the family's failure. His father made a circling motion with his left index figure to Mr. Barkley who began to issue the Barebones out of Mr. Shaw's office. He nodded at the group.

There was silence before Mary Lou spoke, "We hope you'll reconsider, Mr. Shaw. We're not difficult to find. Until then we thank you for your time." The Shaws and Barebones stared at each other before Mary Lou turned around and walked out slowly followed by her children. At the door, the boy dropped what looked to be a pamphlet.

"Hey, boy." The Senator hopeful called. "You dropped something." He went over to pick up the pamphlet. He stood up as if to hand it nicely over to the boy but crumpled it into a ball instead and shoved it at him while he whispered to the kid, "Here you go you freak. Why don't you put that in the trash where you all belong?"

The boy, still with his head bowed said nothing and walked away while Mr. Shaw stared after him. Mr. Barker looked at Mr. Shaw then to his boss, not saying anything knowing that if he did, he would be immediately fired. The boy walked toward the smallest girl who took him by the arms and the family walked out of the newsroom, humiliated.

* * *

 **A/N:** **Remember to leave a comment below and I'll answer your questions!**

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	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3- An Introduction To The Wizarding World**

Three men were fixing what looked to be a wheel of a car while Tina, Lila, Jacob and Newt walked down the street, "Take a right here." Tina commanded and the group did as they were told. Tina huffed, annoyed at her current situation.

Jacob groaned, still loopy from the Murtlap bite. They stopped behind a car carrying boxes that was parked by the sidewalk. Tina looked around the back of it at the sidewalk parallel to them before turning back to the group, "Okay. Uh, before we go in, I'm not supposed to have men on the premises."

"In that case, Mr. Kowalski and I can easily seek other accommodations." Newt started.

"Hey, I told you were Mr. Kowalski goes, I go." Lila stubbornly said and Newt rolled his eyes.

Tina grabbed onto Mr. Kowalski's arm and began to pull, "Oh no you don't. Watch your step." Tina warned Jacob as they stepped from the curb down to street level. Lila followed with Newt holding Mr. Kowalski's other arm. Time to sneak into Tina's apartment.

* * *

Tina was sneaking Newt, Jacob and Lila up her building's starecase when her landlady called up to her, "That you Tina?" Everyone froze.

"Shh." Newt said to Jacob and Lila.

Lila rolled her eyes and mouthed, 'obviously.'

"Yes, Mrs. Esposito." Breathed out Tina, afraid that she'd be caught.

"Are you alone?" Mrs. Esposito asked.

"I'm always alone Mrs. Esposito." Tina stated. Mrs. Esposito's door closed with a thud and the group opened Tina's door to music that was playing softly.

"Oh." Jacob groaned as he looked around the room. The door closed with a thud.

Clothes were magically hanging and drying in front of a lit fire in the fireplace. Jacob chuckled almost drunkenly at the sight.

"Teenie." Came a woman's voice from the other room, "You brought men home. And another woman." A woman with short curly blond hair and was in her undergarments stood half covered by the door. An iron was ironing a dress magically by itself.

"Gentlemen and Lady, this is my sister. Wanna put something on, Queenie." Tina practically commanded her sister..

Queenie bit her lower lip in response and replied in a flowy response, "Oh, Okay." It was clear that Tina was the more tense sister and Queenie was the loser one. Tina removed her black hat and put it on a peg while Queenie used her wand to flick at the dark blue dress that was hanging on the mannequin. The dress lifted up from the mannequin and slipped on the dress.

Lila glanced at Mr. Kowalski who was staring at Queenie with a look of awe and queasiness at the same time. She could make out the individual beads of sweat dripping down Jacob's face as his body was still in the process of fighting the Murtlap's poison. Newt went to look out the window down at the street below, trying to gain his bearings.

"So, who are they?" Queenie asked after she finished putting on her dress.

While Queenie asked the question, Tina went near the fireplace to where her undergarments were hanging up to dry. She took them off the drying racks and answered, "That's Mr. Scamander. He's commited a serious infraction of the National Statute of Secrecy."

"He's a criminal?"

Tina responded with a short, "Uh-huh." She had now moved into the bedroom that Queenie was in after putting away her undergarments and began to take off her boots, "And that's Mr. Kowalski and Ms. Cromwell. They're No-Maj's."

At the sound of his name, Jacob lifted his right hand in a wave 'hi' but was still in shock of it all to actually say anything intelligent. Lila nodded at her name and quietly said, "Hello."

"No-Maj's?" Queenie gasped, looking at her sister. Normally Tina was the 'follow-the-rules' sister while she was… more… as it happens kinda gal, "Teen, what are you up to?"

"He's sick. And Lila has a concussion. It's a long story. Mr. Scamander has lost something I'm going to help him find." At that Jacob tilted backwards and Lila steadied him. Mr. Kowalski stumbled backwards and this time Lila couldn't hold him up and he fell backwards into the couch.

"Oh, you need to sit down, honey." Queenie stated, "He hasn't eaten anything all day-" Queenie walked quickly to stand in front of Jacob, "And… oh, that's rough. He didn't get the money he wanted for his bakery. You bake honey?"

Jacob could only nod and get out, "Uh."

Queenie gasped, "I love to cook."

Lila stepped back away from Queenie, her expression changing from one of inquisiveness to guarded, "We never told you anything about what happened in the bank. How do you know this?"

Newt stepped forward, intrigued, "You're a Legilimens?"

Queenie smiled slightly, "Mmmm. Yeah. But I always have trouble with you're kind. Brits. It's the accent."

Jacob, even in his sick stuper managed to assess the situation, "You know how to read minds?"

"Oh, don't worry honey. Most guys think what you was thinking first time they see me." Queenie stated flirtatiously. It was clear to Lila that Queenie knew she was beautiful and used it to her full advantage, "Now. You. Need. Food."

Lila swallowed the saliva in her mouth and cautiously stepped forward, "Can you… can you read my mind at any time?"

"Why yes." Queenie responded, looking at Lila was a small smile, "Oh, there's no need to be afraid. You're secrets are safe."

Lila pressed her lips, "How do I know you're not messing with my head, changing my thoughts, feelings?"

"I can only read thoughts and memories, not change minds." Queenie replied and went over to the cupboard, "Now, time for food."

Newt glanced at Lila and put a comforting hand on her left shoulder, "I know the first time a Legilimens reads your mind can be unsettling. It's best to put it from your mind."

Lila turned to look at Newt, "Is there anyway I can… I don't know… protect myself from one?"

"Protection." Mumbled Newt, "For wizard, it would take months of practice and meditation. For a muggle, well, that's never been tested. I'm actually at a loss for once."

"Never?" Lila looked curious, "From the term that you call us, it seems as if us _muggles_ aren't very well liked."

Newt sighed, "Past interactions between muggles and wizards have been tense. At extremes these interactions have resulted in blood-shead. There is also the National Statute of Secrecy. Wizards cannot reveal themselves to muggles and if they do, we are required by law to _obliviate_ their memory of the encounter."

" _Obliviate_." Lila muttered, "That almost sounds like…" Lila stopped talking and looked up at Newt. At an early age her parents had taught her Latin. Even though she grew up on a farm, her parents wanted her to have the best education. From her studies she knew that the Latin term oblīviōnem which meant 'forgetfulness or being forgotten.' The term that Newt said sounded a bit like that. "You were going to wipe our minds!?"

Newt looked sad, "It's the law."

"And Mr. Kowalski and I would have been arrested for attempted bank robbery!" Lila exclaimed, "Just how is that fair?"

"Hopefully after this is over we can set the record straight." Newt tried to calm Lila down. Suddenly there was a buzzing sound coming from the outside window. Queenie and Tina were busy getting ready to make dinner so Newt and Lila turned around and Newt pushed back the white lace curtain to reveal a big blue and purple bug flapping its wings.

"Is that one of your creatures?" Lila whispered to Newt, staring at it with awe and a bit trepidation. She really didn't like bugs. Especially one this big. And magical.

"Yes." Newt whispered back. The bug hovered in place for a second then zoomed off somewhere in the city. Newt sighed and they turned back to the room just in time to see Tina and Queenie take out their wands and silently cast spells to cook dinner magically. Ingredients flew across the room.

The case next to the couch opened. Plates and bowls slowly levitated out and toward the table, "Hot dog, again?" Queenie asked her sister.

"Don't read my mind." Tina stated dryly.

"Not a very wholesome lunch." The sisters worked together to levitate the placemats, plates, dishes and glasses to the table. The stove was turned on and pans on the stove were cooking while a knife moved magically without anyone touching it cut through dough. Lila watched all this with wide eyes.

Lila helped Jacob to the table while Queenie said, "Hey Mr. Scamander," Lila looked over at Newt and narrowed her eyes as it looked like he was trying to escape. "You prefer pie or strudel?"

Newt was quiet for a moment and then said, "I really don't have a preference." He gave a half smile past Queenie to Tina who was looking at Newt with a 'really?' expression.

Queenie, oblivious to the tension between Tina and Newt looked over to Jacob, "You prefer strudel, huh, honey?"

Mr. Kowalski nodded and chuckled while already in his seat and putting his napkin in his shirt to keep food from falling on his clothes and staining them. Lila sat next to him. "Don't read my mind. Strudel is fine."

Queenie nodded as candles floated down onto the table, "Strudel it is." With a flourish of her wand, she brought ingredients flying through the air, mixing together and landing in the dough. The dough wrapped around itself and floated down onto the, seemingly baking as it lowered. Powdered sugar sprinkled onto the cooked Strudel. Dough shaped in flowers lined the top.

The lights dimmed and the tops of the candles burst into flame. Jacob inhaled the smell from the magically cooked food.

Tina was leaning on the head chair, to Lila's left, "Well, sit down, Mr. Scamander." Newt looked hesitant and Tina continued, "We're not going to poison you."

Jacob looked at Newt and then motioned with his eyes to take a seat.

* * *

The teenaged boy from the orphanage stood hunched over in the middle of the sidewalk while pedestrians walked around him, not even glancing once at him. He stood in front of a grate which steam billowed up from it. In his left hands he held a pack of leaflets for the New Salemners and tried to hand them out to people with his right.

He wasn't having any luck when he looked up and across the street he saw a man dressed sharply in a black suit and looked mysterious as he motioned with his head for the boy to follow as he made his way into a dark alleyway. It was Mr. Graves, one of Madam President's Auror's.

The boy looked around to see if anyone was watching before following the man. "You're upset." Mr. Graves noted, "It's your mother again. Somebody said something. What did they say?" The boy lowered his head in shame, "Tell me." Mr. Graves insisted in a soft fatherly tone.

Quietly the boy responded, "Do you think I'm a freak?"

Mr. Graves seemingly sighed, "No. I think you're a very special young man or I wouldn't have asked you to help me, now would I?" The boy didn't respond so Mr. Graves asked another question, "Have you any news?"

"I'm still looking." The boy said hesitantly.

"Mmmm."

"Mr. Graves, if I knew whether it was a girl or a boy-"

Mr. Graves interrupted him, "My vision showed only the child's immense power. He or she is no older than ten." He stepped up closer to the boy, "I saw this child in close proximity to your mother. She I saw so plainly."

The boy protested, "That could be any one of hundreds-"

"There's something else. Something I haven't told you. I saw you besides me in New York. You're the one who gains the child's trust. You are the key. I saw this. You want to join the wizarding world. I want these things too, Credence. I want them for you. So find the child. Find the child and we'll all be free."

The boy, now identified as Credence, bowed his head in acceptance.

"One more thing, Credence." Mr. Graves stated gruffly, causing the boy to look up. Mr. Graves put a hand on Credence's shoulder, "I've sensed something. A powerful force, a force that wants to stop us looking. This child we are looking for is in danger. Terrible danger. If you find this child, you'll be saving them, Credence. You'll be a hero. I know you can do it. You find that child, Credence, and you will want for nothing."

* * *

Back at the Goldstein residence Newt Scamander's left hinge on his suitcase popped open and Newt stealthily reached down and closed it again. "The job ain't that glamorous." Queenie remarked. This was the most awkward dinner Lila had ever been too. Newt and Tina were glaring at each other over the food while Queenie was doing all the talking through her mind control thingy on Jacob's mind. Lila, well, Lila was sitting awkwardly in the middle of it all, feeling as if she didn't belong.

Queenie had her left hand rested on her chin as she continued as if she was oblivious of the growing tension between Newt and Tina, "I mean, I spend most days making coffee. Unjinxing the Jon." Queenie shifted from resting her chin on the palm of her hand to the top of her hand. "Tina's the career girl."

Tina moved her gaze from Newt to her sister in a 'please stop talking now' look.

Mr. Kowalski must have thought of something that had to deal with their parents because Queenie responded with, "Nah, we're orphans. Ma and Pa died of Dragon Pox when we were kids."

Lila startled at that. 'Dragon pox?' She thought. 'Dragons are real? Well, magic is apparently real so why not dragons?' Her mind replied. Lila didn't want to ask because it seemed like it was a sad topic to mention.

"Oh." Jacob replied.

"You're sweet." Queenie responded with as he heard his apologetic voice in his head, "But we got each other."

"Could you stop reading my mind for a second?" Jacob asked.

Queenie's smile faded, and she wiggled uncomfortably in her chair, "Oh." She brought her hands down and rested them on the table.

Lila saw Jacobs eyes widened and he immediately said, "Don't get me wrong, I love it." They both laughed, "This meal is insanely good. And this is what I do, I'm a cook. And this is like the greatest meal I've ever had in my life." Jacob was now fully smiling at Queenie.

Queenie smiled and bust into laughter, "Oh, you slay me." Queenie rested her left hand underneath her chin, still smiling at Mr. Kowalski, "I ain't never really talked to a No-Maj before."

"Huh?" Jacob asked, "Really?"

Tina was looking down at her hands underneath the table and Newt looked away. Lila rolled her eyes at the turn of the conversation as Queenie straightened up and put her hands on her lap, "I am not flirting." It seemed to be directed at her sister, Tina.

Tina sighed, "I'm just saying, don't go getting attached. He's going to have to be obliviated. And so is the girl." At that Lila stiffened. Newt rubbed his face in exhaustion and Jacob looked crushed while Queenie stared at her sister in disappointment, "It's nothing personal."

"Oh, hey, are you okay honey?" Queenie asked, noticing that Mr. Kowalski had a frown on his face and sweat dripping down from his forehead.

"So, Ms. Goldstein, I think Mr. Kowalski-" Newt started and stood up from the table, "Could do with an early night." He stood behind his chair, resting his hands-on top of the chair. "Besides, you and I will need to be up early tomorrow morning to find my Niffler so.…"

Queenie looked at Newt confused and turned to look at Tina, "What's a Niffler?"

Tina sighed, "Don't ask." Tina walked into Queenie's and her bedroom and turned around, "Hey, you guys could bunk in here."

"What about me?" Lila asked. "I see that there's only two beds."

Tina looked quickly around the room, "Well, it is only Queenie and I here." Tina took out her wand and waved it at the beds. Suddenly another bed the same shape and size appeared on top of the bed on the left, creating a bunk bed. "There. Three beds." Tina stated proudly.

Lila opened and closed her mouth before settling with a weak, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Tina responded with.

Queenie stood up from her spot, "Lila, as it looks like you didn't bring any luggage with you, I'm sure Tina wouldn't mind letting you borrow a night dress. I'm too tall for your stature."

Tina glared at Queenie before conceding with her sister, "Fine. I guess if it's only for one night."

* * *

Lila wore Tina's modest light purple nightgown along with some socks to keep her feet warm. She tossed and turned, trying to go to sleep. A nock on the door made her sit up as Tina slid the door open holding a wooden tray with three glasses filled with what looked to be hot cocoa.

Lila looked to her left to see that Jacob was sitting up with a book that was now resting on his chest, "Uh," Tina began, "I thought you might like a hot drink."

Jacob nodded but didn't speak. Tina made her way over to the night stand and handed Jacob his and then one to her. Lila nodded, and she nodded back. She went to hand one to Newt who apparently was already asleep and set it on his side of the night stand.

Jacob took a gulp and sighed, "Wow!" He exclaimed. "Psst! Hey! Mr. Scamander, look, coco!" Mr. Scamander seemed to be asleep as he said nothing, and Lila didn't look underneath her bunk bed to his bed.

Tina turned around at the door, "Toilet's down the hall to the right."

"Thanks." Jacob thanked as he stared out of the room at Queenie who giggled and shrugged her shoulders. Jacob whistled.

Once the door closed she heard rustles underneath her bed and she leaned over with her drink in hand as Newt leapt out of bed, apparently only faking being asleep. He took out his suitcase and put it flat on the floor. Lila curiously took off her covers and moved to dangle her legs off the side of the bed.

Jacob gasped in a high-pitched squeak as Newt got into the suitcase, seemingly walking down stairs, before disappearing altogether. Lila stared in shock, her glass almost falling from her hand before she caught it. Lila slid off the bunk bed, landing ungracefully on the floor, stumbling a bit. She began to inch close to the suitcase in awe.

She heard footsteps approaching from inside the suitcase and Lila subconsciously stepped back. Newts hand and forearm appeared from the suitcase and motioned to her and Jacob to come follow him.

Lila glanced at Jacob who was staring at the suitcase in the same shock that she was. The hand disappeared, and footsteps retreated. Jacob leaned back on the bed was only able to relax a second before Newt's hand re-appeared and he said, "Come on!"

Hesitantly, Lila slowly approached the mysterious case, not noticing that she still had her drink in hand. She glanced around the suitcase before timidly lifting her right foot up in the air and placing it in the suitcase. Her foot seemingly went through open air before landing on something solid. She cautiously lifted her other foot and did the same. She imagined stairs and closed her eyes before walking down the magical staircase in a magic suitcase.

After getting to what seemed to be the bottom she opened her eyes to reveal that she was in a room that looked like a Gardener's shed. Newt was leaning his back against a workbench, his eyes lit with mirth while smirking, "You didn't have to close your eyes." He didn't laugh, but his posture told a different story. His coat was off hanging next to his workbench which revealed a mustard yellow vest and a long sleeve shirt underneath.

Lila huffed and straightened up, "Mr. Scamander. I'll have you know that I've only known about this magical world of yours for less than twenty-four hours. Give me some credit for not fully off the deep end. I went from having a job to being on the run from the police to being in a bigger-on-the-inside suitcase!"

Newt's smirk turned into a smile, "Yes, I'll say you are handling this far better than any muggle that I've met before."

Lila opened her mouth to retort back before a loud crash sound and the whole structure shook causing Lila to spread her arms out to try to balance herself. Lila jumped and looked behind her, seeing nothing. Then she looked up and saw that Mr. Kowalski had tried to follow her in but appeared to be stuck, "Oh, Mr. Scamander." She pointed at the stuck Jacob. "He's stuck."

Newt sighed and walked over to the ladder. Before he could get close the room shook again and Lila fell against one of the middle pillars holding up the shack and Newt fell to the floor. Newt let out a groan before scrambling back up and made it grabbing on the ladder and climbing up two steps before the room shook again.

Lila held onto the pole for dear life, not knowing what was happening. The shaking stopped for a third time when Newt grabbed Jacobs legs and pulled. Jacob plopped through and Newt leapt out of the way before Jacob bounced his way down the steps to land with a thud on the floor.

"Will you sit down." Newt commanded as two large insect-like bugs buzzed around Mr. Kowalski's stunned head as he sat on the floor. He shakily stood up before stumbling a bit and grabbing a hold of the ladder. At Newts command he stumbled over to a box before sitting down on it.

He tilted Jacob's head back to get a better look at his bite and stated, "That's definitely a Murtlap bite. You must be particularly susceptible. See, you're a Muggle," Newt stated while reaching for a small glass bottle that contained an unknown white pills "So our physiologies are subtly different." Newt poured out a couple of the pills before grabbing a plant leaf, rolling it up in his hands really tight. He took a mug and scooped up water with it before tearing part of the plant, getting it wet and placing it onto Jacobs neck.

At this action, Jacob leaned back and groaned out, "Ewww."

"Stay still." Newt commanded.

Jacob made a face as Newt continued to poke and prod at his wound. "Ah."

Newt finished whatever he was doing and walked away from Jacob and toward his workbench, "That should stop the swelling. And one of those should stop the twitch." Lila guessed he meant the white pill.

Jacob looked at the pill in his hand and shrugged, "Okay." He popped the pill in his mouth and swallowed it down with a gulp of water. In the meantime Newt had taken out a huge cutting knife and made some slices into some kind of read meat.

Lila gagged at the sight. She was never a butcher person. The fact that Newt didn't wear gloves to protect his hands made her shiver. Newt eventually threw the meat in a bucket.

Noticing Lila's discomfort around the meat, Newt walked the bucket and sat it down in front of Kowalski. "Here, take that."

Jacob stared at the bucket, "Uh."

Newt didn't answer as he headed back over to the workbench, picked up something that Lila couldn't see, picked up a thin glass vial and squeezed it. Glowing blue liquid came pouring out into the glass vial. "Come on." Newt muttered.

Lila inched closer to the object Newt was holding, curious to know what the glowing blue liquid was, "What is that?" She asked.

Newt didn't turn around but still answered, "This, the locals call Swooping Evil." At that Lila took a step back. Now Lila could see that the blue liquid almost filled the container, "Not the friendliest of names. It's quite an agile fella." Newt let go and it untangled itself, dropping into form just like a yo-yo. "I've been studying him and I'm pretty sure that his venom could be quite useful it it was properly diluted. Just to remove bad memories, you know."

He turned around and faced what looked to be a door before letting his hand go and Lila screamed as the blue and green magical flying creature shot out at her and Jacob. Jacob gasped and stumbled backwards before Newt pulled the creature back, smirking, "Probably shouldn't let him loose in here though."

Lila tried to catch her breath before snapping at Newt, "That wasn't funny!"

Newt nodded, laughing, "Yeah, it was." Newt quickly noticed her growing anger before turning toward the door and unlocking it before seemingly going into another room, "Come on you two." He called.

Jacob picked up the meat bucket before following after Newt. Lila was still standing by the pole, fuming at the arrogance of Mr. Scamander. She heard Jacob gasp and looked up from her clenched fists to see that he was standing in the middle of a doorway. He had a look of awe and Lila swore she heard wind howling. But that didn't make any sense, they were in a suitcase for goodness sake.

As Jacob moved away from the door it began to close. Lila caught it and stepped outside into another world.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you all for the love you're giving this story! Remember to leave a review below with either a comment or question and I'll answer back! I have not (at the point of posting this) seen Crimes of Grindelwald, though I plan on it after my finals are over with. I have heard mixed reviews on it and was wondering (without any spoilers, of course) your view of the movie?**

 **Reviews:**

 _Love . Fiction . 2018:_ Thanks! Edit: It appears fanfiction is being annoying and having trouble posting your name without spaces, so I added in the spaces so it would actually post your name correctly.

 _twilight-sweden:_ Thanks so much!

 _Schoolgirl (guest 1-2):_ Thanks for reviewing! Yeah, I kinda felt that Tina didn't really have a personality. I actually liked Queenie a lot better than Tina.

 _Sumzzie:_ Thank you! Don't worry, there is a reason for doing this. Don't skip them this time cause there are things added into that are important for plot points that you might miss! The reason I'm doing it this way is because starting in this chapter, and for future chapters, other scenes will be changing because adding Lila's character will (of course) change things. I didn't want the transition from focusing on Lila to other character's that I haven't written seen so jumpy and startling, so I just added in all of the other scenes so it would be congruent with the rest of the story.

 _Blackrose3107:_ Thanks! :)

 _Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967:_ Thank you! Here's the next update!

 _AmericaNidiot (1-3):_ Thank you for pointing out some mistakes, I've made the necessary changes! Oh, I can totally see the Niffler as Nikko! :) Yes, that is a very Newt thing to say, glad you've liked the story so far!

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	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4- Crash Course in Magical Beasts**

Lila gasped and stopped short at the view in front of her. It was incredible. If she still didn't believe in magic, she would have now. She was now standing in what appeared to be the landscape of the west. It was raining and Newt was standing up on a small rocky hill with an clear umbrella coming from the tip of his wand, preventing him from getting wet.

Thunder rolled in the distance, "Come on." Newt urged. At first Lila thought he was speaking to her and Jacob but Jacob nudged her in the side and pointed upward. A gigantic golden griffin type bird was hovering up by the ceiling. "Down you come." The bird screech and slowly began to fly downwards. "Come on." Newt coaxed.

At the moment the rain stopped, Newt dropped the spell he was using to make the umbrella appear and it vanished. Newt stuck his hands in his pockets, feeling very cocky. He loved showing his animals to people who didn't think they were disgusting creatures and had to be put down.

The griffin-like bird landed on the rock and Newt took his right hand and pulled out a treat from his back pocket and put his left hand on his hip, offering a treat to one of his favorite creatures. "Thank Paracelsus." Newt, with his free hand, moved to pet the bird along fur just above the gigantic beak, "If you'd had gotten out, that could have been catastrophic. So, he's the real reason I came to America." Newt turned to see the stunned of awe on Lila and Jacob's faces. He turned back around to the bird and smiled, "To bring Frank home."

"Um," Lila began, "What type of creature is he?" She asked shyly, having never seen an animal that big before, or one that big with wings.

Newt turned around to look at her, "Frank is what's called a Thunderbird." He explained. "They mostly live around the plains of Arizona." The Thunderbird screeched as Jacob stepped closer and Newt put out a hand, "No, sorry. He's a wee bit sensitive to strangers.

The bird screech again and Newt cooed, "Here you are. Here you are. He was trafficked, you see. I found him in Egypt, all chained up. Couldn't leave him there. I had to bring him back. I'm gonna put you back where you belong, aren't I, Frank? To the wilds of Arizona." Newt stopped petting him, stepped back and touched the treat up in the air and the Thunderbird took off after it and sat back up on the tall stack of rocks in the middle of the area, munching on its snack.

Newt turned around and gave some sort of call with his hands so that his voice would travel farther. Newt scrambled down and took the bucket from Jacob and went in another direction. "You okay?" Lila quietly asked Jacob as he stumbled around in shock at all the new creatures that were beginning to come out.

Jacob looked back at Lila and made out a sound like, "Uh-huh."

Lila pressed her lips, "Right." Lila heard Newt make that strange call again. "At least he seems to be helping these creatures. He's returning Frank to Arizona from Egypt. That's a long trip. From the way he spoke about Frank being trafficked, I don't think he'd do that. He seemed pretty horrified."

"Yeah." Jacob mumbled, his eyes still looking wildly around him at all the unknown creatures. Lila spotted what looked to be like large orange crabs crawling around, one moving a big boulder behind them. Other bugs flying about holding onto what looked to be like red berries, but given were they were, Lila doubted that that's what they were called.

Newt made that strange call again, obviously trying to do a headcount of what creatures he still had and what had gotten out by Jacob opening the suitcase. Lila still couldn't wrap her head around where they were right now. It was this moment that Lila knew for certain that she had stumbled into another world and that her world was changed forever.

Lila followed Jacob as they walked to were Newt stood, waiting for more of his creatures to show up. A rumbling noise of hooves could be heard in the distance and Lila could see a smoke cloud coming toward them. "Alright, here they come."

Jacob swallowed at that, "Who comes?"

"Graphorns." Newt stated as the beasts arrived a startling speed.

Jacob did not like this one bit as he began to back up, terrified. "Ahh!"

Newt grabbed his arm to force him to stay, "Hey! You're alright."

"Oh!" Jacob exclaimed as the Graphorn slowed to a walk and Lila could clearly see tentacle-like things dangling from his neck. Lila reared back in disgust but didn't make a scene as Jacob was. Clearly Newt had a passion for these creatures and wouldn't let them harm them. But that knowledge still wasn't enough for her not to be creeped out by one of his creatures.

"Hello." Newt stated calmly as the tentacle seemed to wrap around Newt's neck in the Graphorn's form of greeting.

Lila stumbled back a couple of feet, her nose wrinkling in disgust. No way would she let those tentacles touch her. That's where she drew the line.

"So, they're the last breeding pair in existence." At that Lila felt a little sympathetic. Another smaller, seemingly a child sized one, circled her and Jacob. Lila stumbled back into Jacob as the child Graphorn sniffed her. He kept on sniffing her until Lila tentatively put her right hand shaky out and the Graphorn sniffed it. The Graphorn suddenly licked her hand, causing her to yelp in surprise. Newt chuckled, "So, if I hadn't managed to rescue them, that could have been the end of the Graphorns forever."

The baby Graphorn nuzzled up against Jacob's hand and he hesitant pet his snout while Newt looked at the interaction with fondness. The larger Graphorn yanked Newt down a bit, signaling that he really wanted the food that Newt had in the bucket. "Ah, alright." Newt stated, giving in to the creatures demands.

Newt lifted a piece of meat out of the bucket and flung it away from them and the baby Graphorn chased after it.

"What, you rescue these creatures?" Jacob asked Newt.

Newt nodded, "Yes, that's right. Rescue, nurture and protect them. And I'm gently trying to educate my fellow wizards about them." Newt began to walk toward the steps with the red handrails. "Come on." He called back toward Lila and Jacob, who were still staring at the Graphorns.

Lila followed Jacob up the steps and into what appeared to be like cave like walls but in a yellow, honeycomb color. "Wow." Lila breathed as the room seemed to shift and stretch as they walked through it. Lila swallowed as she barely managed to calm her vertigo down. It was a strange sensation, the arrangement of rooms in the suitcase. Lila could tell that it wasn't bothering Newt , probably because he was a wizard, at all and Jacob seemed to still be out of it from that Murtlap bite to really notice it.

She stopped for a few seconds and caught her breath and then carried on, not wanting to be left behind in an unfamiliar location.

"Titus, Finn." Newt called out to, seemingly, more creatures. Jacob and Lila walked into another section with bamboo style trees and they were suddenly in some type of forest, "Poppy, Marlow, Tom." Newt brought his hands up and Lila could see a small creature, made of what looked to be like small bamboo twig-like creature was pacing around on the back of his right hand.

"He had a cold." Newt stated. "He needed some body warmth."

Jacob went, "Awww." and Lila smiled at the care and love that Newt clearly gave to his creatures.

"What are they called?" Lila asked, curious.

Newt looked behind to her, "Bowtruckles. The one that I'm putting back with his group is called Pickett." They stopped at the base of a couple of paired trees and the rest of the Bowtruckles. Newt held his hand up for Pickett to climb up on the tree. But Pickett hesitated. "He has some attachment issues. Now, come on Pickett."

Pickett stubbornly walked closer to Newt and Newt brought his other hand up and Pickett walked on that one to get away from the others. "Pickett." Newt tried to use his persuasive tone, "No, they're not going to bully you buddy, now come on. Pickett." At this point, Pickett was clinging to Newt's finger while dangling away from the tree, trying his best to stay with his caretaker.

Newt sighed in resignation, "All right. And that is exactly why they accuse me of favoritism." Lila turned around with Newt to see Newt give a startled look, "Oh no, Dougal's gone."

"Dougal?" Lila asked.

Suddenly a loud chorus of chirps sounded from inside a nest looking home. "Alright, I'm coming." Newt responded, not answering her question." "Mum's here, Mum's here." He leaned down, "Oh hello."

Jacob looked at the creatures, which looked like blue and green color snakes with blue tiny wings, "I know these guys."

"Let me take a look at you." Newt picked up one of them and straightened back up, "Your Occamy."

"What do you mean, my Occamy?" Jacob asked.

"Yes." Newt stated. Newt held out Occamy for Jacob to hold, "Do you want to?"

"Oh… oh wow. Yeah, sure." Jacob stuttered in response, reaching his hands out for Occamy. Newt slid Occamy into Jacobs hands and the baby curled up, flapping his wings. The baby chirped and Jacob whispered, "Hey." Jacob went into pet him and the Occamy hissed and made to bite his finger as Jacob pulled it away. "Ah!"

Lila took a step back as Newt looked up and apologized, "Oh, sorry, no. Don't pet him. They, um," Newt stammerd, "learn to defend themselves early. See, their shells are made of silver so they're incredibly valuable." Newt took the Occamy from Jacob's hands as he explained, "They're nests tend to get ransacked by hunters."

"Thank you." Jacob said as Newt transferred the Occamy from Jacob back into the nest. "Mr. Scamander?"

"Call me Newt. That goes for you as well, Lila."

Lila nodded as Jacob continued, "Newt, I don't think I'm dreaming."

"What gave it away?"

"I ain't got the brains to make this up." Jacob responded.

Newt stared at Jacob's back as he looked around the forest, "Would you mind throwing some of these pellets in with the Mooncalfs over there?" Newt pointed. "Lila, you can help him." Jacob picket up the bucket that Newt had pointed him to.

Lila gave Newt a small smile as Newt walked off in the opposite direction leaving Jacob to stumble over to were Newt had pointed. Lila caught up to Jacob and put out a hand to steady him. "Take it slow, you're still injured."

Jacob looked at her and frowned, "Didn't you get a concussion?"

Lila pressed her lips together and looked at Jacob, "Then we should take it slowly together. I don't know. I feel… this place is unsettling the way it grows each time we walk into a new place."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Jacob responded. "At first I thought it was the Murt- uh, whatever it was, their bite. This is unlike anything I've ever seen."

Lila smiled, "Me too. I'm glad I'm not alone for this."

"Nifflers gone." Newt called over to them, still doing a headcount. "Course he has, little bugger." What Lila had thought were orange leaves fluttered away from the tree and into the open air. "Any chance to get his hands on something shiny."

"Shiny." Lila mused. "Wait, was he the creature we saw in the bank? The one were you where shaking upside down and money, jewelry and gold bars were falling out of who knows where?"

Newt looked over at her, "Yes. He loves anything shiny and worth a lot."

Lila sighed and muttered, "Of course he does." Still remembering that she lost her job, and probably caused a manhunt to look for her and Jacob, to that creature. She wouldn't just forget something like that. Especially if it had only just occurred a couple of hours ago.

Jacob was muttering as they walked up to a platform, "What did you do today Jacob? I was inside a suitcase. Hey!" He noticed the creatures on top of what looked to be an outcropping of rock. The creatures had small bodies, four legs, a really long neck and a small, oval shaped head. "Hello fellas."

They began to squeak in the anticipation of food. Jacob set the pail down next to him and Lila. Lila picket up a pellet and tossed one to the closest Mooncalf she could find. It hovered in the air for a couple seconds before it split into tiny pellets. The Mooncalf came racing down to greet the bearers of food.

Jacob went next, reaching into the pail to throw up the pellet for it to separate mid air and the Mooncalfs to reach up and swallow them.

Newt walked up to them. Jacob was happily feeding the creatures but Lila was staring at what Newt was bottle feeding. It appeared to be a baby, but it had long tentacle like legs that flared around and it's colors were blue and pink, glowing like bioluminescence. Newt nodded at her and, presumably, walked back to put the creature back into its home.

"There it is." Murmured Jacob, petting one of the Mooncalf's heads.

Suddenly Lila shivered and wind moved her hair into her face and she had to tuck it behind her ears. Looking in the direction of the wind, she saw a flap opened into what looked like a snowy habitat with snow driving onto the wooden floor. From her current position she could see, in the distance, a circle plume of black.

Lila blinked and suddenly Jacob wasn't beside her anymore and he was by the curtain. Then he was in the new room. "Jacob!" She called and began to hury after him.

"Lila stop!" Newt yelled. Lila froze. She had never heard Newt to be so commanding or so scared before. She turned around to see him running over to her, having already put back the creature she saw him carrying from earlier. He was now carrying a pail and a rolled up rag, "Don't go in there. It's dangerous."

"But Jacob's-" Lila pointed and Newt turned to see what she was pointing at. Jacob was right up by the black creature and was stretching out his hand.

"No." Newt breathed. He bolted passed her and into the room. Lila hung back at the opening, startled from Newt's reaction. "Step back." Jacob bent over, startled a bit from Newt's command. "Step back."

"What's the matter with that thing?" Jacob asked, waving his hand in that direction.

"I said step away."

"What the hell is this thing?" Jacob asked.

"It's an Obscurus. I need to get going." Newt stated, walking past Jacob and back into were Lila was waiting for them, "Find everyone who's escaped, before they get hurt." Newt walked hastily passed Lila, not even glancing in her direction. Lila followed Newt, concerned about his change of behavior.

Jacob glanced back at the Obscurus and followed Newt. "Before they get hurt?" Jacob scoffed, remembering his run in with the Murtlap.

"Yes, Mr. Kowalski. So they're currently in alien terrain. Surrounded by millions of the most vicious creatures on the planet." They walked past the shed that they first arrived in the suitcase. Newt set down the pail he was carrying, "Humans."

Newt stared at a habitat which looked like it came out of the great plains, "So, where would you say that a medium-sized creature who likes broad open plains, trees, sort of waterholes, that sort of thing. Where-where might she go?" Newt asked, his left hand in his pocket and right one hanging besides him.

"In New York City?" Lila asked.

"Yes." Newt responded.

"Plains?" Jacob chuckled. "Uh, Central Park."

Newt looked at Jacob, "And where is that exactly?"

Jacob gave him a look, "Where is Central Park?"

Newt and Jacob stared at each other before Jacob huffed and sighed, "Well, look. I would come and show you, but don't you think it's kinda double cross?"

"The girls take us in," Jacob waved his hand, "they make us hot cocoa-"

"You do realize that once you stopped sweating, and Lila gets over her concussion, that they will obliviate you two in a heartbeat?"

Lila swallowed.

"What's Bliviate mean?" Jacob asked.

"Obliviate." Lila interrupted. "We already talked about this. It's going to remove our memories of anything magical."

Jacob stammered, "I-I won't remember any of this?" Jacob looked from Lila to Newt.

Newt shook his head, "No."

Jacob breathed out, "All right, yeah, okay. I'll help you."

Lila straightened up, "Me too. I'm coming as well. You can't get rid of me that easily, Mr. Scamander."

Newt gave her a soft smile, "Well, come on then."

* * *

Credence walked, hunched over, back to the church building he unfortunately called home. Though he hadn't considered it a home at all. He dreaded coming back each night, afraid of what his caretaker would do to him.

He carefully closed the door, the hinges squeaked on the way closed. He noticed that his sister, Modesty Barebone was silently drying a red mug and didn't seem to notice him. Good. He took a couple steps forward and stopped as he noticed his mother, out of the corner of his eye, sitting patiently, and menacingly, on the steps, waiting for him.

Credence deflated. Of course he knew the punishment for coming home late. Damnit, why did he think he could have slipped in unnoticed? She always caught him. And it always… always resulted in punishment.

"Credence," His mother's monotone voice drifted through the air towards him. He shivered, "Where have you been?"

Slowly, Credence turned his head towards his mother, desperately thinking of a white lie, anything to get him out of the punishment that he knew was coming, "I was looking for a place for tomorrow's meeting." Credence bit the inside of his mouth. Oh, that was a terrible lie. Mother would see through that one.

He continued as Mother said nothing, "There's a corner on thirty-second street that could…" Credence trailed off as his mother tilted her head and gave him the death stare. He froze. He knew that stare all too well.

In defeat, Credence silently moved to the bottom of the stairs and hung his head in shame. His mother knew he lied. She loathed liers. The silence was deafening. White noise buzzed in his ears as he could suddenly hear each beat of his heart as it beat faster and faster.

Then, "I'm sorry, Ma." He breathed out, "I didn't realize it was so late." Knowing what was expected from him at this point, his brain shouting at him in protest to run, he slowly moved his hands down and began to take off his belt. Every one of his senses was on high alert. His muscles were stiff and tense.

His mother slowly stood up as Credence finished taking off his belt. His mother stood on the fourth step and towered over him.

A power play.

She held out her hand and silently took the belt from his sweating hands.

Mother and son slowly made their way up the stairs, Credence hunched over, his hands drooping by his sides.

Even though he practically lived in a church, Credence rarely prayed. He felt no need considering how terrible his life was. But in this moment, with no hope left, he did the one thing that he promised himself he would never do. He prayed.

As the two walked silently up, they never noticed the younger girl, Chasity Barebones, Credence's younger sister, staring up the stairs. Her young eyes followed their movement, knowing very well what was about to occur.

* * *

It was late as kids ice-skated along a frozen lake in Central Park. The air was cold and the kids were dressed in the appropriate attire, a jacket, gloves and caps. They were frolicking around, talking and laughing.

Suddenly a big rumble sounded and one of the kids lost their balance and fell to the ground of the frozen ice. One of the other kids, her face pink against the cold, skated over to him and held out a hand. You could see the breath fog the cold air by her mouth.

The rumbling sounded again and the kids looked over at the direction the sound came from. This time, every kid froze, wondering if the ice was cracking and if they should run. They stared in shock as a bright yellow glowing… thing… moved underneath the ice moved in between the boy and girl, making a loud growling sound. All the kids could do was stare in shock as it drifted away from them.

* * *

Newt, Jacob and Lila strolled down a street, keeping an eye out for Scamander's creatures while at the same time trying to act inconspicuous as they were sure that they were still being hunted by the police.

"I was watching you at dinner." Newt began after a couple blocks of silence.

"Yeah." Jacob mumbled.

"People like you, don't they, Mr. Kowalski."

"Oh." Jacob couldn't think of what direction this new conversation could go, "Well, I'm sure people like you too, huh." Jacob turned to look at Newt just as a stranger passed by with a black suitcase, on his way home from work. Lila turned her head to look at a shop window as the man passed, just in case. After he was sufficiently passed by, she turned her head back to Mr. Scamander, er, Newt.

"No, not really, no. I annoy people."

Lila looked at Newt and scrunched her eyes up in confusion, "Well, I for one, don't see any reason people wouldn't like you… once they got to spend time with you anyway." She added, remembering their dreadful meeting at the bank.

Newt turned to look at Lila, "Uh… Thanks, I guess." Then he turned back to Jacob, "Why did you decide to be a baker?"

"Well, um, cause I'm dying. In that canning factory. Everyone there's dying. It just crushes the life out of you. Do you like canned food?"

Newt snorted, "No."

Lila also shook her head, "I grew up on a farm. I wasn't looking forward to the transition from freshly cooked food to canned food."

"Yeah, me neither. That's why I wanna make pastries. You know." Jacob was smiling as he talked about his dream. His dream which was most likely unattainable now, "It makes people happy."

Newt gestured across the street and grabbed Jacobs arm to steer him in the correct direction, "We're going this way."

Jacob glanced at Newt and asked, "Actually, it's this way." Newt grumbled but followed Jacob's direction. He was the one with the local knowledge after all.

"So, did you get your loan?" Newt asked. Lila's eyes widened. She already knew that Jacob didn't get his loan, but apparently Newt didn't.

Jacob scoffed, "No. I ain't got no collateral." They were now walking passed a jewelry store which was dark and closed for the evening, "Stayed in the army too long, apparently. I don't know."

Newt was scratching an itch on his lower back as he asked, surprised, "You fought in the war?"

"Of course I fought in the war. Everyone fought in the war. You didn't fight in the war?"

"I worked mostly with dragons." Newt responded casually.

At the word dragon Lila stopped short. "Dragons?" Lila asked in a small voice making Newt turn around to see her stopped.

Newt breathed out heavily, "Yes, but don't worry, dragons normally don't stray into heavily populated areas."

"I lived on a farm!" Lila exclaimed, her breathing becoming heavier, "That's as remote as you can get!"

Newt, releasing that she was on the verge of a panic attack, hurried over and grabbed Lila's hands and squeezed them, "You're fine. It's safe, you're in New York City, breath." After Lila breathed in and out a couple times, Newt asked, "Tell me your name."

Lila looked at him like he was crazy, "What?"

Newt stared her in the eyes, "You're name."

Lila breathed in the cold air, "Lila Cromwell."

"Good. Age."

"Twenty-four."

"What day is it?"

"December 6th, 1926."

Newt smiled. "Okay. How do you feel now."

Lila breathed in, "Embarrassed."

Newt blinked, "Understandable. This is a new world for you. Frankly, I'm surprised it's taken you this long to have a panic attack."

Lila sighed, "I guess. If I might ask, what- what kind of dragons. There must be different types. At least, that's what I've read in children's tails."

Newt understood what she was doing. Talking in order to keep going. He obliged her, "Ukrainian Ironbellies, in the Eastern Front." He trailed off as he heard steam and looked around to an opened pipe with jewelry littering the floor, like a trail.

Newt slowly followed them, hunched over as Jacob and Lila looked around the street for a glimpse of the Niffler. Newt walked by a window slowly then paused. He sighed and walked back to the previous window to exhale and his body deflated in exasperation as he caught the Niffler standing on one of the displays, acting like he was part of the decoration.

Lila ran up to Newt to stare at the creature that had caused her so much trouble. The bracelets that were over the Niffler's arm slowly fell onto the display stand and the Niffler breathed heavily, knowing he was caught by his caretaker. All Newt had to do was raise his eyebrows at the Niffler before he scrambled off of the stand, knocking the jewelry and the stand to the floor.

The chase was on.

* * *

 **A/N: Wow, thank you guys for all the love you've shown this fic! Fantastic Beasts 2 was awesome! I do have to agree that this film was mainly for Potterheads. If you jumped in without watching the Potter series or the first Fantastic Beasts, you would have no idea what was going on at all and would probably not like it.**

 **I knew that Fantastic Beasts 1 takes place in 1926, but I couldn't find the exact date. So, I used the day the movie came out on but with 1926 as the year. If anyone knows the exact date, that would be helpful.**

 **Reviews:**

 _Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967:_ Thank you so much! Hope you like the rest as well.

 _LadyRedStar (Guest):_ Thanks! Yeah, that's mainly why I wrote one. I also wanted to see what he would do when faced with a muggle girl as well as Jacob.

 _Sparky She-Demon:_ Thanks so much!

 _Smuzzie:_ Thanks for the understanding, I'm glad you liked it.

 _Laurenalyse24:_ Thank you for reviewing! Yeah, I saw there weren't that many OC muggle/no-maj stories out there (besides Queenie and Jacob) for Newt, so I thought I'd try my hand at one.

 _Love . fiction . 2018:_ Yeah, I guess it's FF's problem. Thanks!

 _Sltems:_ Thanks for the review, yeah, I totally see where you are coming from with that review. I think that at this point, you have to be a huge fan in order to enjoy these movies as we are now deep into meta. We're basically watching movies about an author's life of one of the Golden Trio's Care of Magical Creatures textbooks that was only mentioned briefly in the Potter movies.

 _Puppy24610:_ As I stated in the prologue, I only update this fic once a month. I will add a "Next Update" 'feature' (as well as a "Posted" 'feature') at the end of this chapter which will tell you when the next chapter will be uploaded and when the chapter you are on was posted. Hope this helps.

 **The Favorites:** _n-i-g-h-t-s-n-o-w-s-t-o-r-m, keythecoolguy, AquaJMgirl, LikaBerdie, KatDusk, Gallifrey's Child, FreindlyLittleDemon, laga2120, Gugubean, Diamond D' Natsuki, letsgetquantumphysical, Kimberly31, sentimentalsoul, DragonGirl70, Siriusly Potter-tastic, Ryn of Magic, shinigamigymnast13, GodShynin300, WhiteLily.R, and str81994._

 **The Followers:** _kitty-chan-hime, keythecoolguy, LikaBerdie, KatDusk, Gallifrey's Child, leeny len, laga2120, Skitterific, Gugubean, olliensam, Diamond D' Natsuki, Nixxy283, housedayne, kimberly31, animexchick, DragonGirl70, , Yukira-Kuchiki, Ryn of Magic, lexzly, Axarell, Pfannkuchen07, and Unique514._

* * *

 **Next Update Scheduled (for Chapter 5): February 2nd, 2019.**

 **Posted: January 5th, 2019.**

 **Edit: January 10th, 2019.**


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: I received the best news yesterday, I got into the Masters program that I applied for (Library Science)! YES!**

 **Chapter 5- To Catch a Creature**

Lila barely had time to blink before Newt wiped out his wand and cast, " _Fenestra_!" She instinctively covered her face and turned away as the window to the jewelry shop exploded into tiny glass fragments and fell to the ground.

Newt scrambled into the store while Lila's reaction was to look around to see if anyone had heard or saw what was happening. It would look as if they were trying to rob the store and they would get into the same situation they found themselves in the morning at the bank.

Jacob noticed the comotion and ran over from where he was watching from before and exclaimed, "Oh!"

By this time, Newt was frantically pulling open and closing the drawers of a very expensive looking display case, looking for the Niffler. Jacob, noticing that Lila was trying to keep a lookout, began doing the same thing, though his way was much more noticable and frenzied.

Lila reached out to put a calming hand on Jacob's shoulder and he jumped before noticing it was her, "Jacob, calm down." She tried to pacify, "Doing it like that will probably draw more attention. Try to pretend like we're window shopping." She looped her right arm around Jacobs and tried to blend in as a couple taking a night stroll.

Jacob froze at the contact but after a couple seconds, released the tension, "Thanks."

Lila turned sharply to look inside the store as she heard animal noises as the Niffler scrambled out of a draw, hopped across Newt's bent back and jumped up on a glass cabinet which was placed on the display case, against the pale yellow wall. Newt scrambled up onto the wooden display case, not caring as he pushed exorbitant jewelry off, causing them to smash onto the floor.

Lila winced. She really hoped the police weren't called. Her eyes widened as the Niffler jumped from the top of the cabinet to the chandelier, which was made of diamonds and not lights, and began to race around the rim of that. Jacob snorted as Newt jumped from the display case and began to swing around on the chandelier.

Lila leaned closer to Jacob and whispered, "I don't think this is working."

"Yeah. It's definitely not working." Jacob stated in dismay at the carnage already being left behind from Newt and the Niffler's chase. Newt was able to spin one full way around before Lila noticed a man walk by not too far from them. She tried to remain inconspicuous but it was hard because of all the noise that Newt was making.

Then something snapped and the chandelier came crashing down. Newt yelped as it landed on top of him. The Niffler hopped from the following chandelier onto glass display cases followed by Newt, knocking them over as they went.

In all this chaos, Lila was surprised that she could hear the familiar sound of a click and a flip. Jacob and Lila glanced at each other before slowly turning to stare at Newt's case of creatures before they jumped apart as a growling sound filtered out of the case.

Lila looked at the case then back at the trashed store with Newt chasing the Niffler. At that point, Newt was on top of the last case by the other window (the one that wasn't shattered by a spell), and landed on the glass with a thud, the Niffler being inches away from Newt. At this point, Newt was breathing heavily and had a very annoyed look. As the case landed, a small crack appeared and Newt held still for a couple seconds, then breathed out as the glass appeared to hold his weight.

Jacob exhaled in relief and stepped over to the case of creatures and inched down to close the lock as more creature growels emanated from the case. A series of cracks drifted Lila's gaze from the case to the window to see cracks spreading out from the main one that was just made.

Lila and Newt made eye contact before, in the periphery of her vision, Jacob shut the lock. At the same time, the window shattered, causing the display case to drop to the ground, and thus Newt along with it.

Newt fell and rolled onto the sidewalk and came to a stop right next to Lila's shoes. Lila stared down at him, hands on her hips. Newt, on the other hand, was panting and peered back up at her sheepishly. Lila raised her eyebrows and asked, "Was that really necessary? Isn't there, I don't know, some spell that summons things?"

At that, Newt paled and sighed. "Bloody hell. Could have mentioned that first." Newt groaned as he rolled onto his side to begin to stand up.

Lila folded her arms against her chest, "Hey, I'm new to this. You're the one with the years of experience."

Movement caught their eyes as the Niffler made a run for it again. Newt scrambled the rest of the way up, took out his wand and shouted, " _Accio_!" Jacob and Newt chased the creature before the spell took affect.

Newt, Jacob and Lila ran into the oncoming spray of stolen jewelry flowing out of the Niffler's pouch. They tried to dodge as much of the jewelry as possible, Jacob using Newt's case to block the onslaught.

Finally, the Niffler swung around the lamp post, in desperation of Newt not to catch him and ended up stuck on a window of another jewelry store which was across the street from the one that they had just trashed.

The trio skidded to a halt as Newt starred in exasperation at his Niffler. Jewelry was scattered across the three of them and Lila managed to get the ones that she had off as she watched the interaction. "Alright, happy?" Newt glared at the Niffler.

Newt grabbed the Niffler off of the sticky window as Lila heard cars screech and a loud siren as they turned the corner. "Buttons." Lila breathed.

"Buttons?" Newt asked her in bewilderment.

Jacob looked at Newt in confusion, "You don't know, Buttons." Jacob breathed, annoyed, and snapped, "Police!"

"Oh, you mean Bobbies!"

"Yes!" Lila and Jacob whisper shouted together.

The Police's cars skid to a halt in a 'v' formation. Jacob glanced at Lila and immediately put his hands up. Lila was thanking herself for quick thinking of getting the jewelry off of her but Jacob and Newt had no such luck. In this moment, they looked really, really guilty. Just like the bank. Damn.

The Buttons scrambled out of their cars and pointed their guns at the trio. Newt slowly turned around to see the trouble they were in. Lila slowly put her hands up, biting her lip. Oh she hoped that Mr. Scamander could get them out of this. She really didn't want to go to the slammer.

There were a couple seconds of tense standoff moments before the window behind them shattered and fell to the ground. Lila winced and Newt hung his head in defeat.

One of the police officers nodded to the Niffler which was half hidden under Newt's blue trench coat, "What the hell is that?"

Jacob, however, wasn't looking in the police's direction at all. He was pale and swallowed. He raised his pointer finger and pointed in the opposite direction, "Lion." He moaned weekly.

Lila thought he was just making it up but then all her hair went on end as a loud growl emanated to the left of the group. She turned to see a LION walking down the sidewalk towards them. The Button's turned with their guns and yelped as they faced the new threat. They began to back up slowly and raised their guns toward the animal.

"You know," Newt began, "New York is considerably more interesting than I'd expected."

Lila let out a frightened laugh, "You really don't want to collect this animal, Mr. Scamander. It'll eat everything in that case." Lila glanced at Newt and he was smiling. SMILING.

Jacob tuned and gave Newt a 'are you kidding me right now' glare. Newt looked chastised before leaning over to pick of the suitcase that Jacob dropped because of the police before grabbing onto Jacob with his left hand. "Lila, grab onto Jacob, now!"

Lila did as she was told and the sicking felling of being squeezed into oblivian followed.

* * *

They reappeared in Central Park. Lila let go of Jacob and bent over to place her hands on her knees, "Oh I hate that."

Newt immediately stuffed the Niffler into his case, closed and locked it, "Finally."

Lila straightened out and glared at Newt, arms crossed, "Bank robbery and now robbing a jewelry store. Boy are we making a name for ourselves today."

Newt winced, "I am sorry about that."

"They probably have our descriptions from the bank! Once those police officers deal with the lion, which will be fast because of the guns, they'll call in and describe us. They're probably already on alert from this afternoon and once they make the connection, they'll be more of a reason to hunt us down." Lila ranted, on the edge of her tipping point.

"I didn't think-" Newt began.

"That's right!" Lila snapped, interrupting, "You didn't think! Use your brain instead of instincts. You have magic, use it!" She breathed out and then looked down, "Sorry."

"No, you're right." Newt sighed and hung his head. "There were definitely more better things I could have done then trash a jewelry store. That was my mistake."

Lila blinked, not expecting the man to agree with her after yelling at him, "Oh. Uh, thanks, I guess." Tense silence, then, "You should probably remove the rest of the jewelry off of you. You as well Jacob."

Newt and Jacob nodded and she began to help Newt take off the jewelry, as he was the one most in the line of fire. Then she moved on to Jacob.

"So, a Lion. It must have escaped from a zoo." Newt stated, looking around at the deserted grounds of Central Park, which was covered in a dusting of snow, "Do you know of any zoos close to here that a Lion could come from?"

Lila shrugged, "I don't know. This is my second day in the city." Newt gave a small laugh, causing Lila to glare at Newt again, "What?" She snapped.

"Sorry," Newt tried to hide his smile but failed, "It's just that this is my first day here."

At that Lila's glare loosened and turned into a small smile, "Crappy day, huh?"

"Eh, this is normal for me." Newt stated, making Jacob and Lila stare in surprise, "So… Jacob. Know were any zoos are?"

"Yeah, actually. I'll show you."

* * *

Newt, carrying his case of creatures, sprinted down the snowy path in Central Park followed closely behind by Jacob then Lila. Lila knew they were headed in the right direction because she could see an Ostrich running at full speed past them. They stopped on the bridge and watched as it passed.

A creature growled off in the distance. Newt put down his case before pulling out two brown helmets, "Put these on, the both of you."

Lila stared at the helmet in her hands while Jacob asked, staring at his, "But why would I have to wear something like this?"

Newt looked at the direction of the growl then back at Jacob, "Because your skull is susceptible to breakage under immense force."

At that, Lila swallowed down her fear and hastily put on her helmet, snapping the clip in place underneath her chin. Jacob did the same thing. Newt picked up his case and began to sprint in the direction of the growl.

Jacob glanced at Lila and asked, "Ever wondered what would have happened if we stayed home today?"

Lila gave a small laugh and didn't respond but took off after Newt.

* * *

Back at the Goldstein residence Tina and Queenie had their window open and were leaning out of it, listening to the growling coming from around the city. A couple four windows down were doing the same thing.

Tina deflated in realization and she rushed to the bedroom and threw open the sliding doors to reveal three empty unmade beds. They had snuck out. Queenie followed and stood by Tina as she put her hands on her hips in annoyance. Tina sighed and ran off to get changed out of her blue night cloths.

Queenie looked back at Tina, bewildered then looked at the beds again, and sighed disappointedly, "But we made 'em cocoa."

* * *

They had finally made it to the front of the Central Park Zoo. Newt set down his case and said, "All right." Lila stared at the damage. Bricks littered the ground and the gates were broken apart and learning in different directions. It also appeared that most of the animals had escaped considering that it was silent except for the creature's growls.

Lila breathed hard, unused to this much running. Even though she did live on a farm, those required different set of muscles. Newt handed her and Jacob what looked like body armor. Lila's eyes widened, "How dangerous is this creature?" Lila whispered.

Newt turned to look at her, "In mating season? Very. Since you're female, she'll see you as competition. She uses a sense of smell, then sight, so don't appear intimidating."

Lila nodded mutedly as Newt helped her to tie on the armor. "Jacob," Newt continued, "There's absolutely nothing for you to worry about." Jacob gave a glance at Lila and shook his head slightly, not believing Newt for a second, considering what he just told Lila.

"Tell me, has anyone ever believed you when you told them not to worry?" Jacob asked, almost sarcastically.

Newt finished tying Lila's armor and moved on to Jacob's, "Well, my philosophy is that worrying means you suffer twice." He pulled sharply on the strings then finished tying them, patting Jacob on the shoulders.

He walked over and picked up his case and ran off, hunched over a bit.

"Lila, wait in the courtyard." Newt commanded while taking off with Jacob to what looked like an exhibit with a missing wall.

Lila huffed but did as she was told, not wanting to get into a confrontation with a magical creature. Especially one that Newt had made her wear armor for. She watched Newt and Jacob carefully enter the building.

She could hear a loud growl coming from that building. The creature was definitely in there. Then she saw them come back out, without the creature. Newt hurried over to the courtyard were she was, spun around and opened the case while squatting close to the ground.

He stepped away from the case while motioning for Jacob and Lila to back up. Jacob whispered to Lila, "Apparently this one's called an Erumpent."

Lila nodded and backed up more to the point where she was leaning up against the outside wall, trying to make herself as small and intimidating as she could.

The ground shook with thuds as the Erumpent made its way out of the building. It looked like it was a gigantic magical version of a Rhinoceros.

Newt rolled up his sleeves and got into position. Suddenly he bent into a crouching position with both of his hands behind his back. Lila jumped as Newt let out a loud and strange yell while at the same time standing up and then going back into the crouch position.

It got the attention of the Erumpent who let out a stream of water from it's head.

Jacob, who was closer than she was to the scene, had been hiding behind a fence and a sign. He slowly inched along the sign to see what was happening.

Newt lifted his right foot up and slammed it down in front of him. Now, Newt held the Erumpent's attention and the Erumpent turned around to face Newt. Newt dragged his right foot back with a curve to behind his left foot. Then he froze in place, waiting for the Erumpent's response.

The Erumpent played hard to get, not turning around fully enough, but enough to signal that her attention was held. Newt suddenly lifted his right leg and slammed it down in front of his left leg, bending over, with his left arm behind his back and his right arm in front of his stomach. Newt's head looked up from his crouch. He flicked part of his coat behind him so he could see better as the Erumpent turned fully to face him.

From his position, Newt spun around and into another crouch, going the opposite direction he had been going before, but this time with his back to the Erumpent. Then he spun around again to the front, still crouching.

Newt then threw his head back and made a calling sound, then turned the other way, now facing the creature again. Then he turned and had his back to the Erumpent. From his crouching position, Newt Sideways stepped up a couple more times. After that, Newt swiveled his bottom around and switched directions, now facing the creature. At that movement, Lila blushed, a bit scandalized at the brash movement.

Newt stepped sideways again, and and as he placed his right foot down, he rolled on his back and got back up into a crouch position.

Lila grabbed onto Jacob's arm as the ground shook to regain her balance. The Erumpent had tucked its feet under and gone to the ground. Then the creature had rolled over, the same way as Newt had before, kicking its feet up in the air.

It had rolled close to the suitcase. Lila held her breath. It was very close. Then Jacob let out a moaned "Ow." Something had fallen on his head and Lila looked up just in time to scamper away as Jacob held the green bottle of the smell that Newt had put on himself to attract the Erumpent.

Lila watched in subsequent horror as the perfume-esk green liquid swirled up to Jacob's nostrils. He sneezed. The Erumpent sniffed and rolled over to stare at Jacob. Lila slowly backed up as Jacob turned around from the creature to stare at a Sea Lion. The Sea Lion immediately noticed the Erumpent and waddled away as fast as it could.

The Erumpent snorted in the background and Jacob turned around slowly to see the Erumpent scuff the her right hind leg and made a growling sound. "Oh no." Jacob whispered, just realizing what he had done.

Lila was backing up into the far wall, far away from the event that was occurring in front of her. She didn't want the Erumpent to think she was challenging her for Jacob, which was an absurd notion.

The Erumpent snorted again and Jacob began to run and scream as the Erumpent began to chase after Jacob. Lila stood frozen as she watched Jacob and the Erumpent run past her and out into Central Park.

Newt had picked up his suitcase and was running after them, he paused for a second and glanced at Lila who had her back against the cold brick wall, "Well, come on!"

Lila swallowed the bile back down her throat and ran after Mr. Scamander. As she and Newt were almost at the front gates, the Erumpent bashed threw them, making more bricks fall to the ground. Newt sighed and held up his wand and said, " _Reparo!_ " But the spell never made contact because at that exact moment, a Monkey scrambled up behind them and snatched his wand.

Lila's eyes widened as the Monkey made off with Newt's wand. "Merlin's Beard." Newt swore and began to chase after the Monkey. Lila glanced out of the zoo and back toward Newt, unsure of which one to help. Not wanting to get trampled won. Lila turned and took off after Mr. Scamander.

She skidded to a halt as she watched Newt's interaction with the Monkey. The Monkey was on a pile of collapsed bricks and branches while Newt was crouched in front of him. Newt snapped a twigg around the same size as his wand and held it out to the Monkey, "It's exactly the same, see." He breathed, "Same thing."

Off in the distance, Lila heard Jacob screaming, "NEWT!"

The Monkey tapped the wand on the bricks and Newt startled, said, "No, don't." The Monkey didn't listen and slammed the wand into the bricks which then sent the Monkey flying back and in a spark of blue magic and a squeak of protest from the Monkey. Newt scrambled forward and collected his wand and made his way off the pile of bricks. "I'm so sorry."

In the distance they heard the Erumpent call.

Newt and Lila glanced at each other then ran in the direction of the call. Eventually they came across the bridge they came up on and Lila could see Jacob 'skating' on the ice with the Erumpent close on his tail.

The Erumpent, unable to keep its balance on the ice, had all it's legs spread out and she spun around on the ice toward Jacob. At that moment, Newt disappeared from her side and reappeared on the lake with the suitcase open, sliding toward the Erumpent from the side.

Newt slammed the open case onto the Erumpents bum and began to press, trying to get the creature back inside the suitcase.

By this time, Lila was running and sliding over the ice to try to get to them but she was too far away to do anything but watch as the Erumpent spun around and slid toward Jacob, who was now sitting on the ice with his legs spread open, afraid to move. The Erumpent suddenly shrank smaller and smaller as she moved into Jacob, licking his face as she disappeared into the suitcase. Newt and Jacob breathing heavily as Lila arrived.

After a few seconds of intense breathing Newt stated, "Good show, Mr. Kowalski."

Jacob reached over the suitcase and held out his right hand, "Call me Jacob."

Not saying anything, Newt shook his hand and nodded and gave Jacob a 'what the hell just happened' friendly smile. After everyone's breathing calmed down, they made their way over to underneath the bridge and out of sight.

"Well, two down, one to go." Newt flipped open the suitcase and made a hand motion to go down inside, "In you hop."

* * *

Tina, having followed the sound of the Erumpent, stood on top of the bridge, listening to Newt. A sense of betrayal filled her. They were going to look for the creatures together and then, somehow, fix her blunder from earlier at MACUSA. But she had misjudged them. Not again. She had to do something.

She ducked down as she heard footsteps going down a ladder and presumably into the case. She sighed as the thud sounded and the suitcase closed. She slowly stood up, waited for about a minute then made her way down the snowy river bank to stand on the ice.

Tina inched toward the infamous case, her feet sliding on the slippery ice. Her hands were out to gain her blancance to prevent her from falling. She made her way to the case and sat on it fast, trying to prevent Mr. Scamander, Mr. Kowalski and Miss. Cromwell from exiting.

Breathing heavily, she closed the locks with two snaps as she thought of what to do next.

* * *

 **A/N: Remember to leave a comment below and I'll respond to your review!**

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 **Next Updated Schedule: March 2nd, 2019.**

 **Posted: February 2nd, 2019.**


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6- Congresses**

"Ladies and gentlemen" An announcer stood center stage in front of a speaker at a No-Maj political gathering. His job was to announce the guests and hope that nothing went wrong. His job and status was on the line, "Tonight's keynote speaker needs no introduction from me." He turned around and brung his right arm up to indicate the man pictured in the humongous poster behind him that read **SHAW America's Future**. He turned back around to face the crowd of affluent members of New York City. Many different sized shapes of the United States flag hung around the walls of the lit room.

The announcer continued, "He's been mentioned as a future president. And if you don't believe me, just read his daddy's newspapers." The crowd laughed as the closest turned to look at the old man who closed his eyes at the jab but took it in stride and held his hand up in a brief wave to the masses.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the Senator from New York, Henry Shaw!" The audience gave a big roar, well, as big as a cheer that the rich and proper could muster.

Henry Saw stepped on stage and leaned into the speaker to mutter, "Thank you." Before taking the microphone. The speaker left the stage, after all, his part was done. "Thank you." Henry spoke into the microphone. He straightened up and waited a couple of seconds for the applause to die down. "Thank you."

* * *

Something dark hovered and zipped through the dark streets of New York.

* * *

Tina Goldstein walked briskly down the sidewalk in another part of the city, carrying Newt's case of creatures with determination. What sounded like pipes hissing loudly brought Tina to a stop. It could be another one of Newt's creatures or just the No-Maj machinery playing tricks on her.

But then the hairs on the back of her neck stood straight up. She slowly turned around to see a dark force heading straight for her, taking out any lights in the vicinity as it moved along. Light bulbs shattered and the cars in the street stopped as it became too dark to see even an inch in front of them. Tina held the suitcase to her chest in panic.

* * *

Henry Shaw continued, not knowing that these words would be some of his last, "And it's true. We have made some progress. But there is no reward for idleness. So, just as the odious saloons have been banished…." Henry paused.

Feedback sounded from the microphone, making people flinch away at the sound. Hissing noises grew louder and the edler Shaw turned around to see what was making it. Henry Shaw continued, trying to ignore the sounds that were interrupting _his_ night, "So now the pool halls, and these private parlors-."

The lights went out along with more of the hissing bringing Henry to trail off his speech, unsure of what was happening. Langdon Shaw, the youngest and unappreciated son, turned to stare at the large organ that hissed.

A man sitting at a table next to the Shaws muttered to his wife, "What was that?"

An explosion shattered the glass from out of the organ. People reared back and screamed in shock as they tried to process what was happening. It was now total darkness. Tables were being flung up and people flung to the side as, whatever it was, was making a beeline for the stage.

For Henry Shaw.

Henry backed up as he realised that thing was heading for him. Screams and breaking plates rang in his ears. An invisible force lifted him up against his own campaign banner, higher and higher up the wall. He let out a scream of sheer terror.

The elder Shaw watched in horror as his eldest son was being attacked by… by…something. His brain wouldn't work for him.

The invisible force twisted Henry Shaw up in his campaign banner and out above the stage, his back arched, held aloft. Then his body slammed into the ground with a sickening thud. People screamed as he didn't move.

"No! NO!" The elder Shaw screamed. His son was dead. More hissing as the banner was torn with what looked to be animal claws. The frightened crowd was backing up from the scene while Henry's father moved toward his son's body. Everybody was forced backward as whatever the force was, left the building.

The distraught father moved closer to his son's body which was now mangled and scared. The shocked father knelt down on the ground surrounded by some of Henry's friends that were invited, all shocked at the dark turn of events.

Landon, the younger son stood in the back of the crowd, most of the guests having run out by now. He looked in on the scene, not in horror, but in fascination, "Witches." He breathed.

He was right.

* * *

The wizards clock in the central room in MACUSA turned from the orange, level 5 ( **SEVERE UNEXPLAINED ACTIVITY** ) to the top bright red level 6 ( **EMERGENCY** ). Alarm bells rang as Tina Goldstein jogged across the bridge inside the Magical Congress headquarters, making her way toward where the President was. She needed to see her.

"Our American friends have permitted a breach of the Statute of Secrecy that threatens to expose us all." The Minister of England, Henrich, stated. An emergency meeting was in session to deal with this new, unknown, threat.

Picquery, the President of MACUSA, stood in front of her chair in the hall. With her back straight and showing no emotion on her face Picquery answered the accusation, "I will not be lectured by the man who let Gellert Grindelwald slip through his fingers."

"Madam President," Tina's voice filtered through the door as she barged in yet again. Mr. Graves hung his head. He wouldn't be able to get Tina out of this one. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but this is critical." Tina slowed to a stop and looked around. It was an emergency meeting. And she had just stumbled in, unwelcome. She froze and turned around to see all the ambassadors from all over the world. Oh Merlin. What had she done?

"You better have an excellent excuse for this intrusion, Ms. Goldstein." President Seraphina Picquery warned.

Tina didn't hesitate. She was done being intimidated, "Yes. I do." She began to walk forward, "Ma'am, yesterday a wizard entered New York and with a case, this case, full of magical creatures. And unfortunately, some have escaped."

"He arrived yesterday?" Picquery asked. Tina nodded her head in silence, "You've known for twenty-four hours that an unregistered wizard set magical beasts loose in New York and you see fit to tell us only when a man has been killed?"

Tina looked to the side and then back at her leader in total shock. Her voice broke while asking, "Who's been killed?"

The President didn't answer her question but asked another, "Where is this man?"

Tina didn't respond except bent down to put the case gently on the floor. She flipped open the locks and knocked three times on the case then stepped backward.

Newt Scamander lifted the case to find himself in the heart of MACUSA. Right where he didn't want to be. He looked around to find Tina standing in front of him with a look of disappointment. He sighed.

Newt slowly made his way up and out to stand on solid ground as the whispering started. Next came Lila who helped Jacob out of the case.

Gasps rose and Lila looked around the room in awe. She was slightly green from the suitcase trip, but managed to get the feel from the room and realized that she and Jacob were the outsiders and were not welcome.

"Scamander?" The British Minister asked.

"Uh, Hello Minister." Newt stated. Lila's eyes widened as she realized that they weren't ambassadors but the leaders from other countries. Oh they were in trouble.

"Theseus Scamander? The war hero?" The Minister from the MOMOLU asked.

"No, this is his little brother. And what are you doing in New York?" Asked another member, suspicious of his activities, Newt having a bit of a reputation.

"I came to buy an Appaloosa Puffskein, sir." Newt replied, closing and picking up his case.

"Right." The british minister winked, "What were you really doing here?"

"Goldstein." Picquery stated, "Who are these two?"

Tina put her right hand on Jacob's shoulder and her left on Lila's, "This is Jacob Kowalski and Lila Cromwell, Madam President."

"A Cromwell?" Stated the British Minister, "But that magical line went dormant two centuries ago."

Lila blinked at this and spoke up, "Um, I'm not magical. At least I don't think."

Tina butted in, trying to stop Lila from digging more of a hole for herself, "Jacob Kowalski is a No-Maj who got bitten by one of Mr. Scamander's creatures and Lila Cromwell got hurt in the attack."

"No-Majs?" The room muttered.

"Obliviate them." Came the whispered calls.

Lila took a step back into Newt who held her gently by the elbow. It was meant to be comforting but not in the moment. She shrugged him off. Newt just managed to recognize the golden glow from up above them. It was an image of a dead muggle. Lila caught his glance and looked up. She gasped and covered her hand with her mouth, "Senator Shaw." She whispered. Even though she came from a country farm, Lila studied up on who was in office. Working for a bank in the city that held the Shaw family accounts required her to familiarise herself with the rich and powerful families, so she could spot them on site to better help the bank's interest. The Shaw family was one of those families.

Newt stumbled back in shock at the image, "Merlin's beard."

"You know which of your creatures was responsible, Mr. Scamander?" Asked a women from the crowd.

Newt stared at the image of the deceased Henry Shaw, "No creature did this." Newt shook his head, "Don't pretend. You must know what that was. Look at the marks." He pointed at the burn like marks over Shaw's face and bit his finger, "That was an Obscurus."

Gasps rung through the room.

A quick look at President Picquery told Lila that she was through with Newt's behavior, "You go too far, Mr. Scamander. There is no Obscurial in America." Newt looked up at the image then back at Picquery. Picquery looked over at Mr. Graves, "Impound that case, Mr. Graves."

Mr. Graves stretched out his left hand and without uttering a word, the case of creatures left Newt's hand and went zooming to Mr. Graves side, were he was sitting, watching the interaction with interest.

"Wait, no! Give that back." Newt began to move forward but Mr. Graves drew his wand and sent a spell, again without speaking, which lifted Newt into the air along with Tina, Lila and Jacob. The spell forced them onto their knees in the middle of the congress and rope magically tied their hands together behind their back.

Lila was panicking, looking from Tina and Newt to help her out of this. She didn't want to be obliviated. Her breaths came out in short breaths and a trickle of sweat dripped off her right temple.

Mr. Graves stood and took the case. All Newt Scamander could do was stare and plead with the man, "Don't hurt those creatures. Please. You don't understand. Nothing in there's dangerous. Nothing." As he was speaking, Mr. Graves intimidatingly walked up to them. Lila glanced behind her and she noticed that a witch was standing behind her and and one behind Tina while two wizards were standing behind Jacob and Newt.

"We'll be the judges of that." Picquery stated. "Take them to the cells." Lila felt hands grab her roughly and force her into a standing position. She looked to her left to see horror written on her companions faces. They were being arrested in a magical world.

"Don't hurt those creatures. Nothing in there's dangerous." It was almost as if Newt was on a record loop as he repeated what he had already pleaded with Mr. Graves. Newt struggled as he was dragged out of the room, "Please don't hurt my creatures. They aren't dangerous. Please! They aren't dangerous!"

While Newt's struggling became more aggressive, Lila just accepted what was happening and let her guard drag her to the cells.

"They're not dangerous!" Newt's call echoed in her ears.

* * *

Tina stood by the cell gate, staring out in the underground cavern. Pillars were spaced out, holding up the floor above them. Jacob sat in the middle of the bench while Newt sat with his feet scrunched up in the left front corner while Lila leaned her back against the cold bars of MACUSA's dungeons. Lila let her head thunk against the cold bars with a thud.

The silence was deafening. They had been quiet for the past ten minutes. Newt was distraught over the loss of his creatures and Lila could tell how much this was affecting him. Eventually, Lila couldn't take the silence anymore, "What did he mean? You're Minister. About my family name."

Jacob glanced at her then back down to stare at his hands. Tina looked over but only shrugged. Newt sighed, "I thought your name sounded familiar. The Cromwell family has been in Britain for over a thousand years. You must come from a line that split from the main tree. Your great-great-great-great grandfather was probably a squib." Came his mumbled response.

Lila pushed herself up off the wall and crossed the cell to sit next to Newt, not caring if she got her cloths dirty. Come to think of it, she was still in the light purple night gown that Tina had lent her, having no time to change between the chaos at the jewelry store, park and now in the magical government.

"What's a squib?" Lila asked. Newt looked up at her and Lila could see the red starting to form around his eyes. He had been crying.

Newt breathed in and answered, "A squibs a non-magical child born to magical parents." He sighed, "The person is treated in disgrace and when they are of age, disowned from the family line if they don't show signs of magic. They are normally never talked about again."

Lila stared at Newt, "That's awful."

Newt looked down at his hands which were now folded between his knees, "I know."

They were silent then Lila asked, "Is there any way we can find out if I have any magical family?"

Tina piped up, "There's always the genealogy archives." Tina glanced between Lila and Newt, "I'm so sorry about your creatures, Mr. Scamander." Tina shook her head, still in shock, "I truly am."

"Can someone please tell me what this Obscurial, Obscurious thing is, please?" Jacob asked.

Still leaning on the bars but looked over her shoulder, Tina responded, "There hasn't been one for centuries."

Newt interjected, "I met one in Sudan three months ago. There used to be more of them, but they still exist. It was before wizards went underground, when we were still being hunted by Muggles." Newt took a breath, "Young wizards and witches sometimes tried to suppress their magic to avoid prosecution. So, instead of learning to harness or to control their powers, they developed what was called Obscurus."

While listening to Newt talk in a monotone voice about what an Obscurus was, Lila felt her hand drift and wrap around Newts left arm and cave a comfring squeez. This was clearly an uncomfortable topic among magical people going by Newt, Tina and the Congress's reaction to even the possibility that the Obscurus was what killed the Senator.

Seeing Jacob's difficulty with understanding what it was, Tina rescued Newt, "It's an unstable, uncontrollable dark force that busts out and attacks. And then vanishes. Obscurials can't survive long, can they?" Tina asked Newt, if just to try to relieve some of the tension.

"There's no documented case of an Obscurial surviving past the age of ten." Newt stated in a flat voice. Lila gave a slight gasp and gripped Newt's arm harder. Newt made no move to move her off of him, so her hand stayed, "The one I met in Africa was age eight-" Lila sucked in a breath. This broke her heart, "when she-." Newt trailed off and started again, "She was eight when she died."

Jacob gave an stressful chuckle, "What are you telling me here? That Senator Shaw was killed by a... by a kid?" Newt just stared sadly at Jacob.

* * *

"My momma your momma, flying on a switch." Modesty Barebones sang out. It was one of the only songs her adopted mother would let her sing, so she sang it all the time, just to annoy her, "My momma your momma, Witches never cry. My momma your momma, Witches gonna die." Modesty slowly moved to the table in the middle of the room.

Other orphaned kids were finishing eating dinner while she picked up some of the pamphlets for the organization. "Witch number one, drown in the river. Witch number two, got a noose to giver her."

"Hand out your leaflets." Came her elder sister, Chasity Barebones, call reminding the kids of what they had to do to get the free meals, "I'll know if you dump them." She stated as the kids left for the evening, "Tell me if you see anything suspicious."

Credence Barebones looked behind him at his adopted sister in fear as he washed the dishes.

Modesty Barebones took the leaflets in her hands and walked outside of the church where she currently lived and flung the leaflets in the air, fed up with her adopted families rhetoric.

* * *

The wizard police, Aurors, according to Newt, came to the cell and collected Newt and Tina, puting iron chains around their wrists, "It'll be okay, Lila." Newt stated as he was being dragged away.

Lila smiled sadly at Newt and stated, "No it won't. I won't remember you. Or anything of magic."

"It's good to make your acquaintance, Jacob." Newt expressed, quickly switching from Lila to Jacob, "And I hope you get your bakery. Oh, Lila, I'm sorry about your job."

"It was my first day. I can find another." Lila replied, not believing it for a second, "It was good to meet you, Newt, Tina." They were still wanted criminals after all. Jacob put his hand up in a goodbye wave as Tina and Newt were walked out of sight by the aurors.

* * *

Newt was sitting down in front of Mr. Graves and a metal table sat in between the two. Tina was standing slightly behind and to the right of Newt. Two women, both dressed in white, stood behind them, on opposite sides of the closed door.

"You're an interesting man, Mr. Scamander." Mr. Graves began his interrogation."

"Mr. Graves." Newt acknowledged.

Mr. Graves made eye contact with Tina and silently stared at her, trying to tell her that he couldn't bail her out of this one. He straightened in his seat, "You were thrown out of Hogwarts for endangering human life."

Newt looked back at Tina, who started at him. This was the first time she was hearing of this incident, "That was an accident."

Mr. Graves leaned back in his chair and stated, "With a beast. Yet, one of your teachers argued strongly against your expulsion." Mr. Graves put his hands together over the documents his team was able to find on Mr. Scamander, "Now, tell me, what makes Albus Dumbledore… so fond of you?"

Newt looked back at Mr. Graves then down at the table and shook his head, "I really couldn't say."

"So," Mr. Graves continued, "Setting a pack of dangerous creatures loose here…" Mr. Graves leaned back and moved his arms outward in a 'what-the-hell-are-you-doing' pose then folded his hands again, "Was just another accident. Is that right?"

"Wh-wh-Why would I do it deliberately?" Newt asked his interrogator.

"To expose wizard kind." Mr. Graves answered. "To provoke war between the magical and non-magical worlds."

Newt stared at Mr. Graves, whose head was staring at the table, "Mass slaughter for the greater good, you mean?"

Mr. Graves nodded, "Yes. Quite."

"I'm not one of Grindelwalds fanatics, Mr. Graves."

Mr. Graves pointed behind Newt, "I wonder what you can tell me about this, Mr. Scamander." Mr graves reached out with his right hand and a now visible Obscurus floated into view. Newts face dropped as Mr. Graves set it hovering over the table.

Newt turned to look at Tina and tired to give her an explanation, "It's an Obscurus. But it's not what you think. I managed to separate it from the Sudanese girl as I tried to save her. So I wanted to take it home to study it. But It cannot survive outside of that. It could not hurt anyone, Tina."

"So it's useless without the host?" Mr. Graves asked, leaning forward to look at the Obscurial.

Newt turned around and faced Mr. Graves, "Useless? Useless? That is a parasitical, magical force that killed a child. What on earth would you use it for?"

Mr. Graves waved his right hand, "You fool nobody, Mr. Scamander." Mr. Graves stood up, hands resting on the table, "You brought this Obscurus into the City of New York in the hope of causing mass disruption, breaking the Statute of Secrecy." Mr. Graves stated, shaking his head, "And revealing the magical world."

Newt shook his head vehemently, "You know that can't hurt anyone. You know that."

Mr. Graves continued, not listening to Newt, "You are therefore guilty of a treasonous betrayal of your fellow wizards and are sentenced to death." One of the auroros in white came up behind Newt to press a wand into his neck, "Miss. Goldstein, who has abetted you-"

Newt began to protest louder and looked back at Tina who looked at Mr. Graves in shock and horror, "No, she's done nothing of the kind."

"...receives the same sentence." Mr. Graves concluded. The other auror dressed in white stepped up behind Tina to press her wand into her neck. Tina was breathing heavily and staring at Mr. Graves in a silent plea while tears ran down her cheeks. Mr. graves waived his hand again, "Just do it immediately." He moved his hand to press on his forehead, as if it pained him to sentence them, "I'll tell President Picquery myself."

"Tina." Newt stated, looking back at the women.

Mr. Graves put a finger to his lips and said, "Shh." And waved his hand for the order to take them away. At the motion, Tina burst into louder tears. "Please."

* * *

Queenie Goldstein was carrying a tray of coffee and coffee cups down in one of the offices of MACUSA when she heard her sister cry out in an emotion of terror and horror which flooded through her like an electrical shock. The tray she was carrying clattered to the floor.

Tina.

The witches and wizards glanced up from their meeting, startled, and stared at her. They were clearly not impressed with her service. Tina stared at them unseeing before she snapped into attention. She turned around and rushed back the way she came.

Towards her sister who needed her help.

* * *

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 **Posted:** March 2nd, 2019

 **Next Updated Schedule:** April 6th, 2019


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7- Escape the Room**

Tina Goldstein was led down the hall by the two witches who were dressed in white. Her shackles clinked together and the skin underneath them itched painfully, "Don't do this Bernadette, please." Tina sobbed. In her entire career as an Auror… or a wand permit officer… Tina never imagined that she would be the one to use this room. She knew what the room was after having to escort a man here after receiving the death sentence. Her whole body trembled.

"It don't hurt." Bernadette responded soothingly and took a hold on her left arm to guide her into the white room.

Newt Scamander was lead in by the other Auror in white. He watched Tina being led forward with a look of horror on his face. He never expected… never wanted this to happen.

The room was divided by white floor tile and more than half consisted of a smooth, crystal clear liquid. A grey chair hovered over the center of the pool. The water seemed to ripple as they made there way further into the room. An Auror wizard stood guard at the door, his body in military 'relax' position. The door to the hallway was left open.

Bernadette moved Tina close to the pool while Newt and his guard were further back and diagonally to Tina's right. Tina looked back at Newt with a choked sob. Newt closed his eyes and shook his head, telling Tina that he couldn't save her. She spun back around to face the pool and was now hysterically breathing… the beginnings of a panic attack.

Bernadette moved her right arm up, with a wand in hand, to Tina's left temple. All of a sudden, a whoosh sounded and Bernadette's wand tip lit up on Tina's left temple. Tina immediately calmed. Bernadette swirled her wand away and with it a glimpse of Tina's memories in a glowing strand of her hair. She pulled her wand arm inward and then moved her wand in a 'toss' motion into the pool. The hair followed the trajectory and landed into the pool with a magical pop sound.

The pool that was taking up the majority of the floor space in the room was, in fact, a huge Pensieve. A wave of ripples floated out from where the hair landed and a swirling bright light formed to make a woman dressed in white, "Tina."

Tina's eyes widened in joy at seeing her dead mother, "Momma?" She asked in a small voice.

"Tina." Her mother said again. "Come on pumpkin, time for bed." The image changed to see Tina's mother's back and a young Tina turning around while holding her mother's hand. "Are you ready." The image changed again to see the image of Tina's mother smiling at her.

"Don't that look good." Bernadette stated.

Tina, who had been silently crying as soon as she saw her mother breathed out a slight laugh. Yes. It was wonderful to see her mother again.

"You wanna get in, huh?" Bernadette asked with a huge smile.

Tina nodded. She missed her mother so bad that it hurt. She NEEDED to see her again. Going into the pool was the only way.

* * *

It was around ten minutes after the guards had taken Tina and Newt. Lila leaned her head against the cold bars while Jacob sat in defeat on the ground, "We're not going to remember this, are we?" Jacob spoke through the silence.

Lila shook her head. Newt had already explained what Obliviate meant and she doubted that she could resist a spell, being a No-Maj herself.

"We're going to be fugitives and not know for what." Jacob was beginning to panic now, "I mean. The Police know our faces. If the guards take away all our memories about magic…" Jacob trailed off.

"We won't know to run. We'd basically be giving ourselves over to life in the slammer." Lila concluded for Jacob, "For a crime we didn't commit." She had already worked that part out herself earlier. She had just wanted not to panic Jacob. It turns out that once Jacob had time to think things over, he was pretty smart.

"Oh, I know! We can write ourselves a note. Telling us about the bank and Jewelry store. Like we had head injuries and were forgetting stuff. Yes. That's it! Write we were kidnapped and forced to do it! Blame it all on gangs!"

Lila had indeed thought of this plan. One problem, "Where do we get paper and ink?" Lila asked monotone.

Jacob stopped, his excited expression sinking, "Oh."

They heard footsteps and they sobered up. Jacob stood up as Auror Sam waked up to their cell and tapped their wand on the door. Lila straightened her coat. The cell door unlocked, "Come with me."

Queenie speed walked into the main lobby of MACUSA. An elevator bell dinged and out stepped Sam dragging Lila and Jacob out by their collars. Both looked resigned to their fate. Queenie practically ran over to them and said, "Hey Sam."

"Hey Queenie." Sam responded, still walking Lila and Jacob to the door.

"They need you downstairs. I'll Obliviate them."

"You ain't qualified." Jacob and Lila shared a look.

Queenie pressed her lips together, "Hey Sam. Does Cecily know you've been seeing Ruby?" Lila's eyes widened. Queenie was Blackmailing Sam! They came up on a desk with a women standing there who nodded to Sam. They were getting closer to the desk. Lila presumed the women was Cecily.

"How did you-?" Sam started.

"Let me Obliviate these two and she'll never hear it from me." Queenie threw down word gauntlet.

Sam let Lila and Jacob go over to Queenie as Sam stopped by the desk were Cecily was standing at. Queenie hooked Lila's left arm with her right and grabbed Jacob's right shoulder with her left. "Queenie, what are you doing?" Jacob asked softly.

"Hush. Teen's in trouble. I'm trying to listen."

Lila's eyes widened, "That means Newt's also in trouble."

"Shh." Queenie responded, "Jacob, where's Newt's case?"

"Oh now you want us to talk?" Lila hissed.

"I think that Graves guy took it." Jacob replied, giving Lila a look.

They stopped behind a couple of grouped pillars, "Okay. Come on."

"What, you aren't going to Obliviate us?" Lila asked as they walked quickly away from the door to the outside world.

"Of course not." Queenie responded, looking between Lila and Jacob, "You're both one of us now." Lila had a feeling the last part was for Jacob. They hurried down the main stairwell of MACUSA's lobby.

* * *

Tina sat in the hovering chair as it lowered slowly toward the massive Pensieve. "Tina." Her mother's voice drifted up to her. Tina smiled down at her mother, excited to be able to see her again. The image of their family shifted to a dark room inside a small church. Tina watched as the image of herself walked slowly down the hall.

In front of her stood Madam Barebones. In her hand was a belt. She slowly turned to glare at her. The image shifted down to Credence Barebones scared and hurt expression as he held onto his injured wrist. Madam Barebones went to whip the belt out at Tina and the image of her wiped out her wand and cast the belt from her hands… using magic in the presence of No-Maj's.

The next image showed her crouched down in front of Credence, extending a hand to his shoulder and saying, "It's okay." Tina's smile was slowly fading as she grew disenchanted with the images playing out for the room to see. Tear tracks glistened down her cheeks.

Newt turned his head to the left trying to see if Pickett had picked the lock on his cuffs yet.

" _Alohomora._ " Queenie whispered to the lock on Mr. Grave's office door. Lila stood next to Jacob against the wall on one side of the door while Queenie stood on the other, trying to use magic to get into the office to get Newt's case. " _Aberto_." Again, nothing. Queenie stood, wand in one hand, the other on her hip, tapping her right foot on the ground impatiently as she tried unsuccessfully to gain entrance. Queenie huffed, "Oh, He would know some fancy spell to lock his office."

Jacob and Lila glanced at each other in concern.

* * *

"Okay." The executioner with the blond hair began, "Let's get the good stuff out of you." She pointed her wand to Newt's temple. Newt ducked quickly and grabbed the Swooping Evil that was in his pocket the entire time and it dangled on his finger before he flung it out and caused a distraction while he punched the security guard.

Newt and the blond haired executioner wrestled for her wand. She attempted to subdue him but Newt managed to point the wand in Bernadette's direction and knocked her out. The Swooping Evil dove under the blond, knocking her down and in the process, causing her to throw her wand into the Pensieve.

At the moment of contact, the wand glowed bright orange and disintegrated into the Pensive. The Pensive rippled out and grew upwards in a circle.

"Witch!" The image of Madam Barebones shouted at image Tina. Real Tina struggled in her floating chair, wanting to stop seeing these images.

In the upper levels with Queenie, Lila and Jacob, Jacob had instructed for Lila and Queenie to move back. It was clear that the magic that Mr. Graves knew was above Queenie's level. Jacob straightened out his jacket and took a couple steps back from the door. Lila put an hand on his shoulder, "You want to do this?" She asked, "There could be magical defenses. You could get hurt."

Jacob turned to Lila, "They wanna wipe our memories, Lila. I'm sure."

Lila gave Jacob a small smile and stepped back to Queenie and watched as Jacob straightened and gave a hard kick to Mr. Grave's door. Apparently that was all it took. The door swung open to reveal a huge office with Newt's case of creatures sitting on the black desk.

Lila ran over to grab it and noticed Tina and Newt's wands next to it. She smiled and grabbed them, handing them over to Queenie as she reached the door of the office, "I'll carry the case. You get the wands."

"You sure honey?"

Lila nodded and patted the case, "Come on. Let's fine Newt and Tina and get the hell outta here."

* * *

Tina finally snapped out of it when the chair finally reached the, now black, water of the Pensieve and yelped in pain as it burned at her soles of the shoes, "Mr. Scamander!" She called, panicking. The black Pensive matter was rising up around her chair. She stood on the seat of it as it slowly sunk.

"Don't panic." He called back to her. He had to save her. It was his fault she was in this mess.

"What do you suggest I do instead?!" Tina yelled over to him.

Newt whistled and the Swooping Evil swooped into position. Newt glanced at it before looking back at Tina, "Jump."

Tina's eyes bugged out of her head, "Are you crazy?"

"Tina, listen to me. I'll catch you."

Tina looked down at the chair which was almost submerged in the Pensieve, then back at Newt, a wild look in her eyes.

"Tina. I'll catch you." Newt pleaded with her to jump. To trust him, "I've got you." The Pensieve almost completely surrounded Tina, "Go!"

With a leap of faith, Tina leaped from the chair just as the bubble closed and Tina barely made it out. Newt grabbed ahold of Tina's arm pulled her into his arms, safe. They stared at each other in shock before Newt looked to the Swooping Evil, extending his arm out and put him safely into his pocket.

Tina and Newt looked at each other before making for the door, "Come on!"

* * *

Quennie, Lila and Jacob walked fast through the halls of MACUSA.

Alarms went off and Lila hoped that Newt and Tina were safe.

* * *

In the underbelly of MACUSA, Tina and Newt ran, holding hands. Newt had grabbed Bernadette wand as they made their escape. The pair ran around a pillar and spotted two guards just feet from them. They halted and Newt cast spells silently at them while they backed around the pillar.

Newt let the Swooping Evil out of his pocket, taking out the two guards. Tina and Newt ran and halted as the Swooping Evil was licking one of the unconscious guards. Newt stared at it in exasperation and stated, "Leave his brains. Come on. Come on!"

The Swooping Evil moved after them as three more Aurors ran after them. Newt deflected a spell and sent a couple back at their pursuers.

"What was that thing?!" Tina asked, panting.

Newt frowned before responding with, "Swooping Evil."

"Well, I love it!" Tina said. And she meant it. It had, in fact, saved her life. Tina gave Newt a wide smile of adrenaline as they ran. Newt gave a tentative one back to her. It seems as if she was warming up to his creatures from her earlier stance on them.

* * *

Mr. Graves, being alerted that the two executioners and a guard that were in charge of Ms. Goldstein and Mr. Scamander's execution were knocked unconscious, strode down a back stairwell of MACUSA.

He couldn't let them escape. It would undo months plans and hard-work.

* * *

Tina and Newt came to an underground pillar intersection and they screeched to a halt as they ran into the three people they didn't expect to run into.

Lila's face lit up upon seeing Newt alive, "Newt!" She exclaimed and flung herself at him before she realized that it was improper and halted before him. In the awkward silence that followed, she lifted up the case between them, "I've got your case. Safe and sound." She breathed out, exhausted from all the running.

Newt gave her the widest smile that she had seen since being arrested, "Thank you, Ms. Cromwell."

"You're welcome, Mr. Scamander." She smiled up at him.

Queenie coughed and the two blinked and turned toward her. She was smirking in Lila's direction and said, "I have a plan, but everyone sans me needs to get into the case."

* * *

Queenie Goldstein had tried to act normally. She went back to her office station and got her coat. She informed her supervisor that she had a cold and was going to check out for the day. He only nodded and quipped that she should be in bright and early tomorrow to make up for the loss of work today.

She nodded and told him to tell his wife she said hello.

Queenie speed walked towards the exit of MACUSA when she heard a voice behind her call, "Queenie!" It was Mr. Abernathy, Tina's boss. She froze on the step and turned around to face him. She held the suitcase behind her legs, "Where you going?"

"I, um, I'm sick, Mr. Abernathy." She winced as she gave a totally fake cough.

Mr. Abernathy suspected she wasn't being entirely truthful and asked, "Oh, uh, whatcha got there?" He pointed to the suitcase she was poorly hiding.

"Ladies things." Queenie took it out from behind her back and walked up the stairs to Mr. Abernathy, "You wanna take a look? I don't mind." If Queenie knew anything that guys got flustered by, it was anything to do with Lady Things.

Abernathy, expectantly, stumbles back and stammers out, "Good Gravy, no." He chuckled, eyeing the box, "I uh…. You get well now."

Queenie gave him a large smile, "Thanks." She straightened his tie before turning around and walking back down the stairs and out of MACUSA headquarters.

They were out.

Now she just had to find somewhere to hide.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry about the delay on the chapter. I've been really busy lately. I'm near the end of my of my 2nd Bachelor's degree and the thesis paper is taking up all of the time I normally reserve for writing this. I'll try to get the next chapter up on time.**

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 _Arapyanime_ : Thanks! I don't have ANY plans on abandoning this fic. If I'm late in posting (this is the first time I've been late in posting a chapter on this fic), It's normally due to school or work.

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* * *

 **Posted: April 9th, 2019**

 **Next Updated Schedule: May 4th, 2019**


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8- Fugitives in Both Worlds**

Credence Barebones was outside in the small alleyway next to the church where he lived when suddenly Mr. Grave's voice urgently stated, "Credence, have you found the child?"

Startled, Cadence stumbled back, his arm flailing out to catch himself against the brick wall. He let out a his of pain and stepped back, clutching his injured hand toward his stomach. His back curled in on itself as Mr. Graves stood close to him.

"Show me." Mr. Graves commanded in a hard, yet soft tone. Credence looked up at Mr. Graves hesitantly before slowly extending his right hand. As he did, yesterday's session came crashing down and he began to sob slightly. Mr Graves held onto his right hand from the bottom, "Shh." Mr. Graves waved his right hand over his and the belt cuts with dried blood vanished, as if it never happened. Oh how he wished he could do that, "My boy, the sooner we find this child, the sooner you can put that pain in the past where it belongs."

"I want you to have this." Mr Graves stated, "I would trust very few with it." Mr. Graves clasped a necklace over Credence neck, "Very few." Mr. Graves held Credence's head in his hands, "But you, you're different. And when you find this child," Mr. Graves took his hands off and placed his left hand over the necklace, "You touch this symbol. And I will know. And I will come to you."

"Do this." Mr. Graves whispered in Credence's ear, "And you will be honored among wizards forever." Mr. Graves brought Credence in for a hug, "The child is dying, Credence. Time is running out." Mr. Graves pulled away from the hug, caressing Crednece's face before walking away and disapparating, leaving Credence alone in the alleway.

* * *

Lila stood on a rooftop, her left hand intertwined with Newt's right. Tina stood next to Queenie and Jacob stood on Queenie's left. Queenie walked into a tiny shack on the roof, "You're grandfather kept pigeons?" She asked. Jacob, who was already in the shed, smiled as Queenie used Legilimens to find her answer. She continued, "Mine bred owls."

Jacob nodded, staring at Queenie who's face was flushed from the cold, "I used to love feeding them."

"Graves always insisted the disturbances were caused by a beast." Tina stated. Newt, Lila and Tina were staring out across the city. "We need to catch all your creatures so he can't keep using them as a scapegoat."

Lila looked to Tina, "How do you propose we do that? Both the Police and the Auror's are after us. We'll get caught."

Newt turned to Lila, "There's only one still missing." Newt offered, as if that was a plan. "Dougal, my Demiguise."

Tina snorted, "Dougal?"

Newt chuckled, not about Tina's comment, but about the difficulty in finding said creature, "Slight problem is that, um, he's invisible."

Lila's eyes widened and she threw her hands up, "Oh that's just great. How exactly are we supposed to find an _invisible_ creature?" Newt squeezed her hand in response. Oh. She forgot they were still holding hands. She let go of Newt's hand.

Newt glanced over to Lila in concern before Tina's head movement drew his attention. Tina's head snapped to Newt, "Invisible?" She checked to make sure she heard right.

Newt nodded, "Yes. Most of the time. He does, um-" Newt threw his arms up trying to explain, but gave up.

Lila looked to Newt, "And how exactly do you catch a creature who's invisible?"

Newt turned to look directly at Lila, "With immense difficulty."

"Oh." Lila stated, then giggled.

Lila stepped forward toward Newt before Tina interrupted, "Oh! I know! Gnarlak."

Newt's eyes narrowed, "Excuse me?"

"Gnarlak." Tina repeated.

Lila sighed, exasperated, "Yes, and what does _Gnarlak_ mean?" She was tired and snippy. But who could blame her after the day she had?

Tina turned to Lila, eyebrow raised, "He was an informate of mine when I was an Auror. He used to trade in magical creatures on the side."

Newt's expression hardened. He hated those kinds of people. Magical creatures… any creatures for that matter, deserved to be free. He didn't like Tina's nonchalant way of talking about someone who sold anything, "He wouldn't happen to have an interest in paw prints, would he?"

Tina huffed and put her hands on her hips, "He's interested in anything he can sell."

"Seems like a real swell guy." Lila muttered. But Tina heard her and narrowed her eyes at Lila.

Newt noticed the tension between the two women and interjected, "So, where might we find him?"

* * *

The five of them apperated and walked down an alleyway. Lose paper blew by, wooden crates were stacked up by one of the brick walls. A fire escape ladder hung above them while broken trash was crammed in two metal trash cans.

Lila could hear music drifting up from below. The group followed as Tina lead the way down one of the building's outside staircase. Queenie and Lila kept glancing behind them, making sure they weren't followed. By this time, it was early evening the sun having gone down while they were talking about finding Dougal.

At the bottom of the steps was a short hallway and then a brick wall. On it was a poster with a picture of a blond, curly haired women with makeup on looking into a mirror and her reflection showed back out at them. The words: **Enchanting, Beguiling, Alluring** ran along the bottom of the poster.

Once they got to the brick wall, Tina and Queenie took out their wands and silently cast a spell that changed their current outfits to sparkling dresses. Tina wore a black dress with thin straps that had gold-style beads outlining it while Queenie's was more modest, with short sleeves, but in pink sparkles.

Tina moved her hand to knock on the bick wall but Lila interjected, "Um, I'm still in Tina's pajamas. I'm not going to blend in at all."

Newt's eyes widened and he took out his wand and asked, "May I?"

Lila bit her lip. This would be the first time magic would be performed on her. She hesitated before nodding, "Yes."

Newt gave a small side smile before his wand tip lit up and a tingling feeling ran through her body as her cloths changed from Tina's purple nightgown into a sequin backless, but high neck, dress that flared out at her ankles. The design was black patterns with beige coloring between the black lines. Her shoes changed to black and flat.

Her outfit wasn't the only thing that was changed. Her hair was done up in a braid that curled into the back center of her head. Black earrings dangled from her ears. She stared at Newt who was staring back at her. Lila could see his lower neck flush red.

Lila swallowed, "Um, thanks. It's beautiful."

Newt smiled, "No effort, really."

A throat cleared behind them. Tina was staring pointedly at Newt while Queenie had a huge smile. Jacob just looked confused, "If we're all done getting dolled up."

Newt cleared his throat, suddenly looking nervous, "Right. Tina, lead the way."

Tina sniffed before turning back around to the wall. The poster seemed to come alive at the practice of magic in its vicinity and the eyes of the girl looking out at them in the mirror shifted.

"Oh that's creepy." Lila murmured to Jacob who hummed in agreement.

Tina knocked once before knocking out what Lila suspected was a code to get in. A slot of the brick wall was moved away and brown eyes met the groups.

* * *

The group was led into the hidden tavern. A female house elf, dressed in a sparkly black dress, sang while doing show magic for a crowd of wizards and witches.

"Tears of Pearl. When the dragon snapped up his best girl, And the Billywig forgot to twirl. When his sweetheart left him cold, The unicorn done lost his horn. And the hippogriff-"

Newt, Tina, Queenie, Lila and Jacob were led to a table and told to wait for Gnarlak to see them, "I need a drink." Jacob stated after a few awkward seconds of silence before getting up and going over to the bar. Queenie soon followed Jacob.

The three that were left just sat in silence, going over the day's events in their head. Lila was the first to break the silence, "I'm sorry I was snippy with you earlier, Tina." Tina's head snapped up to look at her from staring at her hands clasped on the table, "It's just… been a difficult day. I know that's no reason-"

Tina stopped Lila's apology by placing her hands over hers, "It's been a trying day for all of us. You're new to all of this… crazy. You've done good so far. Most people wouldn't be able to handle all this." Tina waved her hand around, indicating all the magic that was going on around her, and also the day's events.

Lila breathed out, glad that Tina wasn't mad, "I guess I'm not most people."

Next to them, Newt breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh thank Merlin you two made up. I couldn't stand the tension."

"I've arrested half the people in here." Tina admitted as Newt glanced around the bar.

"You can tell me to mind my own business but I saw something in that death potion back there." Newt began. Lila tensed as the conversation took a darker turn, "I saw you hugging that Second Salem boy."

Tina breathed out, "Yeah. His name's Credence. His mother beats him. She beats all those kids she's adopted." Feeling Newt shift next to her, Lila grabbed Newt's hand underneath the table and squeezed. He squeezed back, "But she seems to hate him the most."

"That's awful." Lila whispered.

"And she was the No-Maj you attacked?" Newt asked. Now Lila was a bit lost. Obviously Tina had told Newt some things that she hadn't told her.

"That's how I lost my job as an Auror." Tina explained, looking to Newt, then to Lila, "I went for her in front of a meeting of her crazy followers. They all had to be Obliviated." At the word Obliviated, Lila shivered, "It was a big scandal."

"She deserved it." Lila stated, causing Tina to look at her, "Any parent who beats a child deserves a life of pain and misery. They deserve the slammer."

Tina opened her mouth to reply when Queenie interrupted, back from her time at the bar with Jacob, "Tina! It's him!"

"Cause love drives us all wild," Came the song from the female house elf. Gnarlak strode into the bar with a half smoked cigar out of the corner of his mouth. He strode in looking like he owned the place. The song ended and the crowd applauded.

Gnarlak slowly made his way over to their table, a power play. He sat in the chair they had left for him and a house elf immediately handed him a clear glass of alcohol with a lemon in it, "So, you're the guy with the case of magical creatures, huh?"

Lila exchanged glances with Tina and Newt. Newt straightened, "News travels fast." He remarked. Gnarlak downed the glass in a single gulp, looking back at the empty cup as if it was wrong for not immediately refilling. Newt continued, "I was hoping you'd be able to tell me if there's been any sightings. Tracks, that sort of thing."

A house elf slid a piece of parchment for Gnarlak to sign and he did while answering, "You got a pretty big price on your head, Mr. Scamander. Why should I help you instead of turning you in?"

Lila tensed, ready to make a run for it. She could tell that Tina and Newt were doing the same.

"I take it I'd have to make it worth your while." Newt replied.

"Um," Gnarlak began, "Let's call it a cover charge."

Newt slid a round gold something to Gnarlak who scoffed, "MACUSA's offering more than that."

Newt put his hand into his pocket, pulled out a small device and put it on the table, "Lunascope?"

Gnarlak laughed, "Ha, I got five." He shrugged.

Lila noticed that she was still holding hands with Newt under the table and that a large pool of sweat was forming between their hands. Lila fought with herself not to itch.

Newt dug into his pockets and pulled out a small, oval shape clear with orange dots in the side, object. Newt set it in front of the Lunascope, "Frozen Ashwinder egg."

Apparently that interested Gnarlak enough to fully turn and face the table, "Oh, now we're talking. Wait a minute." He paused then pointed at Newt. No, it was the reflection of Pickett in Newt's wine glass, "That's a… That's a Bowtruckle. Right?"

Pickett let out a squeak and hid back in Newt's front coat pocket. Newt brung his right hand (the hand that wasn't holding Lila's) and put his hand over the pocket, shielding Pickett from view. Newt shook his head, "No."

"Oh, come on. They pick locks, am I right?" Gnarlak stated excitedly. Lila was really beginning to despise this man. She squeezed Newt's left hand.

"You're not having him." Newt protested.

"Well." Gnarlak began to get up, "Good luck getting back alive, Mr. Scamander." He was now fully up out of the chair, "What with the whole of MACUSA on your back."

He was a few feet away from them before Newt seemed to cave in on himself, "Alright."

"Newt, no." Lila breathed out, "Don't compromise your morals for this. We'll figure out a way on our own to find Dougal."

Gnarlak stopped and turned around as Newt held out Pickett for him to see, releasing his left hand from Lila's in the process. Lila bit her lip as she watched the exchange. Newt seemed defeated. She hated seeing that look because when he showed it, his entire body reacted, hunched over, head bowed slightly.

Pickett was struggling to get back to Newt, not understanding what was going on, "Oh." Gnarlak stated, completely enamoured with the Bowtruckle. Gnarlak reached out and carefully took Pickett who held onto Newt's finger for as long as he could before Gnarlak moved him away and closer to him.

Lila's heart went out to Pickett. Back home on the farm, Lila always loathed it when her father would sell some of the animals that Lila had raised since birth. It always caused them to fight, but eventually Lila came to understand why it had to be done. Not that she still didn't like it.

"Something invisible been wreaking havoc around 5th Avenue." Gnarlak made a cooing face at Pickett as it still struggled to get back to Newt, "You might want to check out Macy's Department Store." Newt rubbed at the tears in his eyes with the back of his hand, "Might be what you're looking for."

"Dougal." Newt said. "One more thing. There's a Mr. Graves who works at MACUSA. I was wondering what you knew of his background."

Gnarlak sighed, "You ask a lot of questions, Mr. Scamander. That can get you killed."

Newt swolled and the entire tavern seemed to go silent before a house elf called out, "MACUSA are comin'!" Before disapperating.

Tina stood up, slamming the table with both hands, "You tipped them off!?"

Gnarlak just laughed as wizards and witches began to scream and disapparate. MACUSA Aurors apparated into the tavern. Quennie moved away from the wanted posters to look at them. They now showed pictures of Newt Scamander and Tina Goldstein.

Lila stood up and went to stand next to Tina, not being able to look in Newt's direction right now.

Jacob had his hands up and was slowly moving toward Gnarlak. "Sorry Mr. Gnarlak." Before Jacob reared back and punched Gnarlak in the face, knocking him to the floor, unconscious. Jacob shook out his hand as Newt scrambled over to the unconscious Gnarlak and liberated Pickett from his clutches.

Lila sighed in relief tha Pickett was safe, but she still was pissed at Newt for giving Pickett to him in the first place.

"He reminds me of my foreman." Jacob started with a laugh.

Tina grabbed Lila's arm and Queenie grabbed Jacobs. They all apperated out of the bar, just as Jacob downed another shot of alcohol.

* * *

Modesty and Chastity Barebones were working silently at the large wooden table, making more pamphlets for the Second Salem church. They heard a thump from up stairs and they both looked up.

In a bedroom, Credence was on his belly, looking under a bed. He thumped against the floor but his eyes widened as they picked up a thin stick. A Magic wand.

Modesty Barebones left her spot at the table and began to slowly walk up the stairs to see what was going on.

"Whatcha doing Credence?" Modesty asked.

"Where did you get this?" Credence disregarded her question.

"Give it back Credence. It's just a toy."

Madam Barebones opened the door to stare intently down at Modesty and over to the wand that Credence was holding in his hands. Her eyes narrowed, "What is this?" She asked sternly.

Credence remembered what Mr. Graves had told him. The child was sick. If the child he was looking for was really Modesty, he couldn't let her take the punishment, "It's mine."

Madam. Barebones motioned Credence to follow her out in the hall, "Take it off."

Chasity Barebones froze when she heard her mother say that from up stairs.

Credence slowly undid his belt buckle. While he was doing so, his mother lifted the wand above her head and broke it into two while Modesty watched from her bedroom door. His mother extended her hand and Credence stepped forward, belt in hand, "Ma-"

"I'm not your Ma." Madam Barebones whispered. "Your mother was a wicked, unnatural woman."

Modesty stepped forward, unable to let her brother suffer for her, "It was mine." At her admission, Credence stumbled backward.

"Modesty." Madam Barebones began. But before she could do anything the belt flew out of her hand and onto the ground by the balcony. At this point, Credence had backed all the way to the far wall, hunched over.

Madam Barebones turned her hand over and opened it to see bright red marks were the belt had injured her. She gasped in horror and stared at Modesty in terror, "What is this?" When Modesty didn't answer, she slowly bent down to pick up the belt when the belt flung out of her grap and down the small hall. Madam Barebones slowly stood back up and backed away in fear.

She turned around and shrieked as a Mass of dark magic swarmed the upstairs hall. Madam Barebones floundered in terror as she was lifted up by the very force she sought to eradicate. Then she was dropped to the first floor landing, dead. The very same scaring that the late Senator Shaw had on her face.

The room exploded.

* * *

The gang ran up to the windows of Macy's Department Store as they saw a purple purse being dragged off one of the storefront mannequins by something invisible. Gnarlak's information was right. Lila just hated the way they got said information. On the way over, they had changed out of their party cloths and now Lila was back in Tina's purple nightgown.

The quintet quietly followed Dougal through the department store. They hid behind a couple of christmas decorations, "Demiguise are fundamentally peaceful, but they can give a nasty nip if provoked.

Dougal was not not invisible. From behind, he looked like a monkey but with silver hair, "You three, head that way." Newt mentioned to Queenie, Tina and Jacob, "And try very hard not to be predictable."

Jacob, Tina and Queenie gave each other looks before heading out to the left, being careful not to be seen by the creature. Lila breathed out once she realized that Newt had left them alone on purpose.

A loud screeching sound could be heard throughout the shop, "Was that Dougal?" Lila asked. She was angry at Newt, but not stupid enough to not ask questions that might save her life.

"No. But I think it might be the reason that the Demiguise is here." Dougal finished collecting the objects form the shelf, putting them in the purse and climbed down.

Newt left the hiding spot to slowly chase after the Demiguise, now not bothering to hide. Dougal turned around to see Newt holding the case, looking at him. Lila was a couple of steps behind Newt. The Dougal looked like a deer in the headlights and scrambled up the stairs.

Newt chuckled.

"Why'd you do it?" Lila couldn't hold it back anymore.

Newt turned to look at Lila, "What?"

Lila crossed her arms, "You very well know what, Mr. Scamander." Newt winced at Lila's use of his last name, "You loath animal dealers. Why would you just hand over Pickett to that creep!"

Newt sighed and seemed to hunch over a bit more, "We needed-"

Lila's eyes narrowed, "We didn't have to get the information _that_ way."

"Look, Lila-"

"Ms. Cromwell." Lila stated and Newt winced. Back to last names.

"As you have stated, we have two police forces after us. The magical ones are much more violent and deadly. Especially to muggles. We can talk this over once we've cleared our names."

Lila bit her lip, "Fine." And strode past Mr. Scamander and up the stairs after Dougal.

* * *

The two of them were crouched by the door, hiding from Dougal, "It's sight operates on probability, so it can foresee the most likely immediate future." Mr. Scamander whispered as he carefully made his way toward Dougal with his case.

"What's it doing?" Lila asked.

"He's babysitting." Mr. Scamander replied.

Lila tensed, "What did you just say?"

Mr. Scamander was now closer to Dougal with the case and knelt down to open it as Dougal looked behind him and saw the two of them, "I thought I had them all but, uh, I must have miss counted."

Tina, Queenie and Jacob slowly made their way in the room and fanned out so they didn't over crowd Dougal.

Lila lifted her head up as movement caught her eye. Her eyes widened as she saw blue scales move on the ceiling, "Is he babysitting that?" She breathed out.

A huge beak shown through the moonlight as it came closer to Dougal as it held out candy from downstairs. Dougal fed it a bite as Mr. Scamander answered, "Occamies are choranaptyxic. So they grow to fit the available space."

Mr. Scamander held his hand out, allowing the Occamie to come to him. The Occamie sniffed the air as she came closer and closer, "Mummy's here." Mr. Scamander stated.

Queenie stepped forward and kicked an red christmas tree ornament and it rolled towards Mr. Scamander. The bird screached at the movement and Dougal bounded the opposite direction, "Whao!" Mr. Scamander called out to the Occamie, "Whao!"

Dougal climbed upon Jacob who just helped him up and let him hang around his back and neck, not caring at all. But that was probably because the Occamie was startled and moving around the room.

A wing spread out, catching Mr. Scamander and carrying him up into the air. The body moved and knocked down a shelf. Queenie and Jacob darted out from beneath it just in time as it crashed to the ground.

"We need an insect!" Mr. Scamander called down to them. Somehow, Mr. Scamander had made it to were he was riding the Occamie. Everyone paused and looked up, confused.

"A what!?" Lila shouted up at him.

"Any kind of insect and a teapot!" Mr. Scamander replied, "Find a teapot!"

Lila was army crawling on the floor down next to Tina, who had her wand out, looking for an insect.

"Whao, whao, whao, whao, whao!" Mr. Scamander yelled from near the ceiling, trying his best to stay on.

As the Occamie expanded to fit the space more, crashing through the ceiling and out into the night, Tina, Queenie, Jacob and Lila were scrambling desperately after the cockroaches that were disturbed by the destruction that the quintet were making.

"I got it, I'll get it!" Called Jacob who flung himself over Queenie and onto the floor, chasing after a cockroach. He grabbed it and quickly closed his hand.

Lila had gone over to the destroyed shelving to look through the open boxes when something caught her eye, "Teapot!" She yelled, holding one up.

Suddenly the Occamie stopped moving. Lila held the teapot in her right hand, outstretched. On the far side of the room, Jacob held a cockroach in one hand. Lila's eyes widened as the Occamie lowered her head closer to Jacob, eyeing the cockroach.

Mr. Scamander leaned to where he could see Jacob from atop of the Occamie, "Roach in teapot." Newt breathed.

"Shh." Jacob ran his hand along the Occamie's scales, "Shh." Jacob made eye contact with Lila, his eyes going wide. He whimpered, then threw the cockroach. The roach tumbled over and over through the air. Lila began to sprint toward the roach. She had to catch it in the teapot. She couldn't miss.

As the Occamie went after the roach, her body shrunk down, letting go of Jacob, Tina, Queenie and Mr. Scamander fell from the neck and onto the ground. But Lila didn't see any of that. She was focused on the roach and the tea pot, sprinting to the contact point.

Lila jumped as the Occamie thrust her into the air. She held up the tea pot as the roach came crashing down into it. The Occamie followed. One problem was that the tea pot that she grabbed didn't have a lid.

Suddenly, Newt, was there with the lid and slammed it shut. They both breathed hard and looked up at each other and smiled, "Choranaptyxic." Newt breathed out, "They also shrink to fit available spaces."

"Nice job, Newt." Lila breathed out.

A smile lit up Newt's face. She called him by his first name, "Thank you, Lila."

"Tell me the truth." Tina stated, running her hand through her hair, "Was that everything that came out of the case?"

Newt continued to breath hard and looked up at Tina, "That's everything. And that's the truth."

Tina sighed in relief.

Lila glanced across at Newt, "We should get Dougal and the Occamie back into the case."

"Agreed." Newt breathed out, exhausted.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks to everyone who has been reviewing, following and putting this as your favorite! You're awesome!**

 **Reviews:**

 _AmericanNidiot_ : Thanks! I've completed my paper, but still have to do the final presentation. So, this story should be following the regular update schedule from now on. May the 4th be with you as well. ;)

 _Momochan77:_ You're the first person to mention the Halloween Town movies! That's exactly why I made her last name Cromwell! I was wondering who would recognize it! Yes, Lila's interest in learning about the Magical Creatures stems from living on a farm and caring for "No-Maj" animals for her entire childhood. Newt definitely appreciates her trying to learn, especially when she was basically shoved into a whole new world. Jacob kinda does it in the beginning, but ends up focusing more on his new relationship with Queenie. In the movie, Tina doesn't even try to learn anything other then getting them back into the case. So I thought it would be interesting to have someone who was actually interested in the magical creatures and not just the "love interest" of Newt. I hope that added another layer to their (Lila and Newts) 'relationship'.

 _Love . Fiction . 2019_ : Thanks for the review! :)

 **Favorites:** _MilkyteaMisha, Jade Cielo, lovingthisbook, Stella-Nyx, TheLadyO, puppy24610, geekgirl72, ChristinaCay, SilentSilverSerenity, Apphia, and BeatriceSmith-2._

 **Followers:** _MilkyteaMisha, Jade Cielo, GodzillaSquatch91, SupernaturalxCam, meowmixkitkat, lovingthisbook, Stella-Nyx and_ _AJ Tenorio Agbanlog._

* * *

 **Posted: May 4th, 2019**

 **Next Update Schedule: June 1st, 2019**

 **Edited: May 31st, 2019**


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9-** **Obscurial**

Once inside Newt's suitcase, he directed Jacob on what area Dougal normally resided in then Newt turned to Lila, "Do you want to hold her?"

Lila blinked, "Sure, why not?" She snorted, "That's basically been the attitude of the last two days for me."

Newt gave his signature half-awkward smile back at her and it made her heart melt, "Welcome to my world." He carefully lifted up the tea cup lid off and held out his right hand, "Mommy's here, come on. It's safe now."

Lila gave a blissful smile as she watched the Occamie coo and slide upwards, out of the bowl and wrap her body around Newt's hand. Newt slowly positioned his hand so that Lila could take the Occamie into her hands. Lila held out both hands and softly called the Occamie's attention. The Occamie chirped at her and slid across the gap and onto her hands.

"She's light." She gasped. Lila looked back up at Newt, "How? When she Choranaptyxic's to a space, doesn't she have the same weight either way? When we were in Macy's, and she grew, she felt heavy. Now in here, she's small and feels as light as a feather."

Newt's eyes lit up, "You know the sciences?"

"Just the basics." Lila responded, "It was my uncle's favorite pastime. He would read from science books to me during story time at night when I was younger. I retained some of that knowledge. Not enough to land me a job in it." Lila stated as an after fact, "Most of the information he read hasn't retained itself as I was half asleep when he started to read to me."

"I see there are many different peculiarities about you, Lila Cromwell." Newt stated boldly, "You know the sciences, can read and write in Latin and are steadfastly loyal. You'd make a great Hufflepuff."

Lila looked down at the Occamie and tried her hardest not to blush. It seemed it didn't work as she felt her cheeks flare up, "What's her name?" She abruptly changed the conversation.

"Wolf." Newt replied, going with the flow, "The Japanese translation of wolf is Okami which is phonetically similar to Occamie. I thought it fitted her."

"Hello Wolf." Lila parroted Newt's name for the Occamie. She scratched Wolf on the back of her head and behind the ears. She just realized that Newt still hadn't answered her question about Wolf's weight issue but Newt began talking, cutting off what she was going to say.

"She's probably tired from all the action today." Newt stated as he watched Wolf yawn, "Let's put her back in her nest with the others."

At that Lila looked up, "Alright." She agreed. Newt showed her over to a nest with other Occamies resting and one or two eggs that still haven't hatched yet. She walked slowly over and lowered her hands into the nest. Wolf saw his other friends and slid excitedly off, chirping at them. Obviously she was telling the others of her great adventure.

Lila looked up and saw that Jacob had done his task of taking back Dougal to his habitat. Queenie and Tina were looking around the suitcase in awe, not having seen the inside before. It truly was magical.

The Erumpent came to greet them, but not leaving his habitat. Tina stared at it, mesmerised. Jacob saw Tina's look and laughed, shook his head and walked away.

Lila turned her attention back to Newt as he let out an exclamation of, "OW!" He reached into his pocket and pulled out Pickett. Newt stared at him as Pickett climbed onto the top of his left hand. Pickett began to squeak. Newt sighed and stated, "Right." As if responding to Pickett's squeeks. Knowing Newt, he probably understood what the Bowtruckle was saying, "I think we need to talk."

Newt raised an eyebrow as Pickett chirped, "You want the nice lady with you to back you up?" Newt looked over to Lila and sighed, "Pickett wants you as backup."

Lila's eyebrows furled, "Me?"

"He apparently heard you defending him." Newt swallowed, "When I gave him to Gnarlak." Newt's voice broke over saying Gnarlak's name and Lila pretended not to notice.

Lila softened and walked over to Newt for a little more privacy, "I'm here, Pickett."

Newt turned his attention back to Pickett, "I wouldn't have let him keep you, Pickett. Think I would rather chop off my hand then get rid of you." They walked while Newt was talking, "After everything you've done for me."

Lila pipped in, "It's true," Lila stated and hesitated before continuing, "He looked devastated and broken hearted when he realised the only way to get the information about Wolf was to hand you over." She shook her head, "I never want to see that look again."

Lila saw Newt glance at her sharply but she ignored him, "Pickett, Newt loves you. He would have traveled around the world to find you and get you back." Pickett reached for her from Newt's hand and she held out her right hand to Newt's left. Pickett climbed over and gave her hand a hug, "Aww, Pickett."

"Seems he's taken a shining to you." Newt said, glancing from Pickett to Lila. At Newt's voice Pickett put both of his 'arms' on his 'hips' and pouted, "Think we've talked about the sulking before, haven't we. Pickett. Come on, give me a smile. Pickett, give me-"

Pickett leaned forward and blew a raspberry at Newt.

"Pickett." Lila sighed, "That's rude." Pickett turned and seemed to give her a 'look.' Lila quietly giggled at how cute he was being.

Newt sighed, "All right. Now that's beneath you. Come on, hop back on." Newt indicated to Pickett who was currently clutching Lila's right hand, refused to let go, "Pickett."

"I don't think he wants to let go." Lila whispered, her eyes wide and stared into Newt's grey, stormy eyes.

Newt deflated, "Do you want to stay with Lila, Pickett?" His voice was barely a whisper.

Pickett nodded his tiny head and Lila's heart clenched. Pickett was having a fight with Newt and didn't want to be anywhere near him right now. Lila could understand that. She cleared her throat, "I-its fine if Pickett stays with me." She paused, "At least for now."

Newt swallowed, "Fine."

Lila moved her hand so that Pickett could hop onto her right shoulder. He slid down and in to the right pocket of Tina's purple night gown that she was still wearing. She had to get a change of clothes. As she turned away from Newt, movement caught her eye. She turned and saw a picture frame on a worktable next to the wooden shed. It was of a young girl dressed up. Two flowers were pinned in her hair with dangling earrings. The picture of the girl moved. MOVED.

"Um, Newt." Lila asked, staring at the _moving_ picture, "Is that picture supposed to be moving?" It was the strangest sentence she had ever uttered.

Apparently Queenie had questions of her own and asked, "Who's she?"

Newt shook his head, "Oh, that's no one."

"Leta Lestrange." Queenie stated. So, she already knew. She just wanted to know if Newt would tell them. Apparently Newt didn't want to. Newt sighed as Queenie continued to speak, "I've heard of that family. Aren't they kind of, you know…."

Newt turned his neck to Queenie so fast that Lila thought she heard it crack, "Please don't read my mind." Newt moved over to a small work are and began to work with some of his herbs in a large bowl and Queenie winced and looked down as Newt slowly continued his work until he stopped and looked up, "Sorry, I asked you not to."

Lila clenched her hand. Ever since she had first learned that magical people could read minds and that Queenie appeared to do it without even asking first, it had unnerved her. It made her wary around the woman.

Queenie looked from Newt to Lila, twisting her hands together in a nervous twitch, "I know. I'm sorry."

Lila noticed Queenie's look at her and felt a shiver rush through her body. She took a step backwards, "You read my mind?" She asked, her voice trembling. Didn't she tell her that she didn't want to be read back at the apartment? Couldn't she remember a simple request?

"I can't help it." Queenie's shoulders shrugged. She looked sheepish.

Lila took a deep breath, "Just," She breathed out, "Try not to next time. Please." She didn't want to get into a fight. It wouldn't do for the group to be fighting each other when they were being hunted.

"People are easiest to read when they're hurting." Queenie stated, turning toward Newt.

"I'm not hurting." Newt stated. Lila didn't say anything. She could tell that he was lying. More to himself than to them. He turned back to his herbs, "Anyway, it was a long time ago.

Queenie slowly walked closer, "That was a real close friendship you had at school."

Newt sighed and looked between Lila and Queenie, "Neither of us really fitted in at school. So we became quite-"

"You became real close?" Queenie asked. She shrugged, "For years." Newt leaned on the workbench and Lila stepped a bit closer, if only to anchor Newt, "She was a taker. You need a giver."

Tina walked over, "What are you three talking about?"

"Uh, nothing." Newt stumbled in his reply. Tina's smile faded a bit as she recognized the lie.

"School." Queenie stated.

"School." Newt parroted.

Lila just nodded her head. Of course there was a girl. Mabey she had misread Newt's affections. Jacob walked over from the other direction, folding his jacket and unfolding his jacket, "Did… did you just say school? Is there a school? A wizardry school here in, uh, America?" Jacob put back on his jacket.

Queenie gave a genuine smile as Tina went and hung her coat from the coat hook, apparently hot, "Of course, Ilvermorny. It's only the best wizard school in the whole world."

"I think you'll find that the best wizarding school in the world is Hogwartz." Newt playfully snapped back.

Queenie crossed her arms and smirked, "Hogwash." She completely butchered Newt's schools name. Newt looked at Queenie as a squawking and screeching came from above. All looked up as the Thunderbird flapped his wings and lightning flickered across the "sky" of the suitcase.

"Danger." Newt breathed, translating what the Thunderbird was trying to tell them, "He senses danger."

* * *

Mr. Graves appeared in the alleyway behind the Second Salemner's church, teeming with anger. The Aurors had failed to find the bitch and Mr. Scamander. He had also been notified that the bitch's sister had stolen back their wands and the case of beasts. They had been so close to catching them at The Blind Pig. So close. He banged his fist against the wall, causing his knuckles to bleed.

Without flinching he healed himself. Merlin, he should have realized that if you wanted something done, and done well, you went and did it yourself. And that was what he was doing here.

He pulled out his wand in his right hand as he came to the entrance of the small church. If you could even call it that. It should be called what it actually was. A dump. He slowed as he heard distant sobbing.

Once inside the church, he moved carefully, meticulously. Not daring to disturb whatever creature did this. He had his suspicions, but until he actually saw it with his own eyes…. Mr. Graves streightend as he came across Madam Barebones body. She died from the exact same wounds as the late Muggle Senator Shaw. He had found it. Everything was finally coming together.

He slowly put his wand away, wanting to seem unthreatening. He saw the boy huddled in the corner, holding the necklace he had given him up. It was how he knew something was wrong. He smirked as he gave himself a figurative pat on the back for thinking ahead. He bent down, loathing how he had to pretend to like this… this mongrel. That's what anyone who was a squib was. A mix breed between two worlds. Never belonging in either one. Ever.

Mr. Graves gave the boy an awkward hug, "The Obscurial was here." He murmured. More to himself than the boy, "Where did she go?"

The boy continued to sob. It was getting on his nerves and he had to take a deep breath before continuing, wanting nothing more to Avada the kid. The boy looked up at him, still shaking, "Help me. Help me." The boy moaned.

"Didn't you tell me you had another sister?" Mr. Graves stated softly.

The boy shook his head and hunched back into himself. He repeated, "Please help me."

"Where's your other sister, Credence." He sighed, frustrated, "I need your help. The little one. Where did she go?"

"Please." Credence repeated, "Just help me."

Giving up on restraints, he punched Credence in the face, to bring him back to focus. He needed his information. Then pushed him back into the wall and Credence eventually calmed. Next he tried to appeal to the boy's familial ties, "You're sister's in grave danger." Credence looked him in the eyes, finally getting it into his thick skull, "We need to find her."

He grabbed Credence and apperated.

* * *

The two appeared in the middle of the darkened street. Only three street lamps were lit, the others apparently were not working or blown out. They were in front of the same apartment building that Mr. Graves stood at when he first began tracking this beast.

They slowly walked up the stairs of the abandoned apartment building, "What is this place?" Mr. Graves asked the boy. He couldn't have any delays.

"Ma adopted Modesty out of here." Ah. So this is were the beast lived. He should have known. Everything was coming to a full circle, "From a family of twelve. She misses her brothers and sisters. She still talks about them."

On the landing, Mr. Graves looked down on Credence, "Where is she?" He was close. So close that he could taste the victory.

Credence shook his head, "I don't know."

Mr. Graves turned and walked down the hallway, "You're a squib, Credence. I could smell it off you the minute I met you."

"What?" Credence's confused voice echoed to him.

Mr. Graves rolled his eyes. Did he have to explain _everything_ to the mongrel? "You have magical ancestry but no power."

He looked down at the boy who was crying and shaking. Ugg, "But you said you could teach me." He moaned.

"You're unteachable." He spat, "You're mother's dead. That's your reward." He shook his head, disgusted, "I'm done with you." He walked out of the room and down another hallway, glad to be done with the filth.

He pulled his wand out of his pocket as he heard distant sobbing. Female sobbing. He smiled. He had found it, "Modesty?" He called. He walked into a dark room, wary of every subtle change, "Modesty."

He smirked as he spotted the beast curled up in a corner. He put his wand away, not wanting to frighten it, "There's no need to be afraid. I'm here with your brother, Credence." He crouched down and the beast scooted backward, "Out you come now." He held out a shaking hand. His jaw clenched. He would dominate the beast and would win. He clenched down the feeling of fear. There was no place for it.

A loud hissing and the ceiling creaked. Modesty turned to look at the ceiling, sobbing. A crack from the wall extended outward, and then another and another. Dust fell from the ceiling as the entire building rumbled.

Mr. Graves stumbled back, not wanting to piss off the beast even more than it was. Suddenly the wall crumbled and he stared down the broken walls to the boy. Credence. He was hunched over, both hands clenched in fists. And now he understood.

It was the boy all along. Oh, how stupid he had been. He tried to do damage control, "Credence." He breathed out, "I owe you an apology." He slowly brought his wand out.

"I trusted you." Credence mumbled it softly, but Mr. Graves could hear his statement as clear as a yell, "I thought you were my friend. I thought you were different."

"You can control it." He breathed, oh this was brilliant, "Credence. Credence." At the second call of his name, the boy- beast looked up at him. His eyes were red and he was angry.

"I don't think I want to, Mr. Graves." Credence shook, his eyes went white and exploded outward into black magical energy and roared toward Mr. Graves but went out of the wall that led to open air and the street below.

The beast was loose.

* * *

People screamed below as the dark and red mass flew above their heads. The Obscurial slammed into the cobblestone street and passed a building with a lit up sign called **SQUIRE'S**.

* * *

Lila followed after Newt, back out of the suitcase, on top of the building. Newt stood underneath the lit **SQUIRE'S** sign, "What's happening?" She called after him. Newt stood on the the ledge, holding his suitcase as he surveyed the city.

At the same time Jacob asked, "Is that it? That's the Obscurial?"

Lila climbed up on the metal scaffolding bar, next to Newt as something exploded to briefly light their faces in glowing red light, "All those people." She breathed.

Newt glanced at her, "That's more powerful than any Obscurial I've ever heard of."

Lila swallowed as everyone stared at the swerling and swelling mass of red and black magical, destructive, energy, "Okay, so, what do we do?"

At the same time Newt looked back at her and stated, "If I don't come back," Lila looked at Newt in dismay, "Look after my creatures." He handed Lila the suitcase and she took it, stunned. She shook her head, not believing that he wouldn't not make it, "Everything that you need to know is in there, he took out a journal and handed it to Lila. Still in her stupor, she grabbed it without complaint.

A boom sounded in the distance that rattled Lila to her senses. She shook her head, "What? Newt, no!"

Newt, who had turned at the sound of the boom, looked back and stared into Lila's eyes, "They're not killing it."

Lila's mouth felt dry as she tried to swallow. Slowly she nodded. Newt gave her a small, lopsided signature smile and stepped off of the roof and disapperated, "Newt!" She called after him, wanting to prevent him from leaving. She turned back to the group, helpless. She turned around to the rest of the group, already making up her mind to follow him, and hoped down from the ledge. Lila handed Queenie Newt's notebook and suitcase, "You heard him. Look after them."

Lila caught Tina's look, grabbed her right forearm and Tina disappereated, pulling her along and vanishing from the rooftop.

Queenie gave the suitcase to Jacob to hold and began to go after her sister and Lila, "Keep hold of that, honey."

Jacob's eyes widened and he grabbed Queenies left wrist, halting her in her tracks, "No, no, no, no.

Queenie protested, "I can't take you." She took a deep breath, "Please, let go of me, Jacob."

Jacob turned Queenie toward him, "Hey. Hey. You're the one that said I was one of yous." Queenie began to shake her head but Jacob continued, "Right?"

"It's too dangerous." Queenie responded. Using her Legitimacy, she looked into Jacob's mind and slowly put her right hand on the side of Jacob's cheek. Oh how she loved him.

* * *

The streets below were full of panic. People ran screaming too and fro. Mr. Graves strode up to the beast as he swirled and swelled around. Signs crashed behind him, but he paid no attention to the chaos, "To survive so long," He shook his head, "With this inside you," Mr. Graves held his left hand upward, "Credence, is a miracle. You are a miracle. Come with me. Think of what we could achieve together."

The black mass that was Credence Barebones blasted outward, shoving Mr. Graves stumbling backward.

* * *

Tina and Lila reappeared on the other side of the Obscurial. Tina had her wand out and Lila was a couple of steps behind Tina, not wanting to get too close but wanting to protect Newt. Then Lila noticed something shiny on the ground. She looked down and picked the object up. It was a gun from a police officer. He must have dropped it when he was running. She checked the number of bullets, ten rounds.

She looked to Tina and she saw what she had and nodded, "Good. You can protect yourself."

Lila nodded back, "I hope I don't have to use it. I never liked hunting." An object flew passed their heads, making them yelp. They quickly ran to one of the overturned cars and hid behind it, Lila spotted Newt behind another overturned car diagonally in front of them. She yelled, "Newt!"

She saw Newt turn and his eyebrows raised at the sight of her. Then, "It's the Second Salem boy. He's the Obscurial!"

Lila's eyes widened and glanced at Tina, who's face had gone pale. She remembered back in the bar when she told her that she had goten demoted due to a confrontation with the boy's mother. She squeezed her shoulder with her left hand, the one that wasn't holding a gun.

"He's not a child!" Tina yelled back to Newt.

"His power must be so strong he's somehow managed to survive." Newt yelled across to them.

Tina nudged Lila so she looked back at her and from her expression Lila could tell that she was going to run to the boy. Lila grimace and nodded back. Lila turned her attention back to Newt, "Newt!" At her yell, Newt looked frantically over at the two, "Save him." Tina and Lila got up and sprinted towards Mr. Graves.

"Mr. Graves!" Tina yelled, shooting a spell at him which Mr. Graves blocked. With a shaking hand, Lila pointed her gun at Mr. Graves and fired. The drawback was powerful enough to send her stumbling backward.

Mr. Graves only shifted out of the way, as if it didn't faze him. Tina and Mr. Graves exchanged a few spells, both blocking about five before Lila took another shot. Mr. Graves saw what she was going to do and shot a spell at her, making her fly backward through the air and crack her body hard against the side of a building. She felt the gun leave her hand at some point but didn't pay much attention to that little detail. She felt sharp pain tingle along her spine and hoped that nothing had broken.

Lila groaned as she drifted in and out of consciousness. She struggled to sit up and had to shield her eyes as bright light eliminated from the witch and wizard dueling.

In a muffled voice she heard Mr. Graves shout at Tina, "Tina, you're always turning up where you're least wanted." She saw a big shaped object being flung and knocking Tina to the cobblestone streets, allowing for Mr. Graves to vanish.

Suddenly Tina was next to her, shaking her, "Lila. Lila!" Lila groaned and in response Tina stated, " _Brackium Emendo! Episki!_ "

Lila's head suddenly cleared to see Tina crouched in front of her. Her brows furled, "Thanks. Where's Newt?" She asked as Tina helped her up.

"Hopefully calming Credence down. Let's find out where they went."

* * *

In the war room at MACUSA headquarters President Picquery and her top Aurors stared at a map of New York City. A golden line moved around the blocks. It is Credence's magical signature, "Contain this." Picquery ordered, "Or we are exposed, and it'll mean war."

* * *

Newt appeared on a rooftop, holding his hands up, "Credence!" He yelled, trying to get his attention as Credence flew over the city, wreaking havoc, "Credence, I can help!" Newt ducked as Credence flew straight at him.

He disappeared and appeared on a long apartment building rooftop and ran to catch up with the Obscurial. As he got to the end of it, he disapparated before re-appearing on another similar rooftop. All around him he could see Aurors appearing on the adjacent rooftops and shooting blue spells at Credence. Newt ran to the door that was on top of the roof to hide. He was still wanted by them. Damn. This complicated things.

Credence flew lower and closer to the ground in order to avoid the spells. In the process, he tore up the cobblestone streets and was headed straight for a No-Maj police barricade.

* * *

The police officers stood their ground as the red and black mass charged them. It was like something from their nightmares. Was it true what that naysayer from the Second Salemers was saying? Did this prove magic existed or was it a science experiment gone wrong?

As it got to a certain distance, everyone began to fire their weapons. Their bullets did nothing to stop the incoming Obscurial. Cars and bricks were strewn everywhere. The officers screamed and ran to the sides as the barricade was broken by Credence.

The Obscurial got to the end of the street in the opening square and shot upward and then straight down, blasting outward then settling down, but still in a concentrated black mass. But not as violent as before. Slowly the mass dissipated to reveal the back of Credence Barebones who walked slowly down the subway tunnel entrance.

Newt, having watched this occur from the top of a roof sent the boy a look of remorse before disappearing and re-appeared on the steps, underground.

As Newt rounded the corner for the stairs that was labeled **City Hall** , he saw that the platform was deserted but the lights were still on. Newt slowly inched forward, wand still in his right hand. Credence had retreated to his black mass form of the Obscurial and was hiding up on the ceiling.

* * *

The Aurors surrounded the train station in a circle and cast a protection bubble. Mr. Graves strode confidently toward the tunnel entrance, barking an order, "Bar the area."

"Yes sir!" Came the reply.

"I don't want anyone else down there."

* * *

Lila could see the magical barrier slowly closing and Tina and Lila raced and rolled underneath it just in time. They hid in the corner and Lila wondered how they were going to get from here to Credence and Newt. Tina read her expression and grabbed her hand. She squeezed and Lila squeezed back.

* * *

Newt leaned around the collom cautiously then went back to hiding, resting his head on the cold marble, "Credence." Newt called out softly, "It is Credence, isn't it?" A beat, "I'm here to help you, Credence. I'm not here to hurt you."

Newt gathered his courage and steps out from behind the pillar and onto the train tracks, "I've met someone just like you, Credence. A girl. A young girl who'd been imprisoned. She had been locked away. And she'd been punished for her magic." Newt kept talking. It was working, the mass was getting smaller and smaller. The mass dissipated and Credence was kneeling in its place.

Newt slowly bent down and placed his wand on the ground, showing Credence that he meant no harm, "Credence. Can I come over to you? Can I come over?" Credence only stared at Newt so Newt slowly stood back up, without his wand.

At that moment he stepped into the center of the tracks, a spell blasted him backward and he landed on the ground with a thud. Mr. Graves strode forward with a look of determination. At the sight of him, Credence ran passed Newt.

Mr. Graves shot a spell at Newt and Newt rolled away as it hit and blew up a small portion of the tracks. As he rolled away he had grabbed back his wand where he had put it as Mr. Graves cast another spell that damaged part of a pillar that Newt was hiding behind.

Newt fired a spell back at Mr Graves, which he easily blocked. Suddenly Mr. Graves wasn't there but moving Credence out of the way of an oncoming train.

* * *

Up on the surface, Madam Picquery strode around the dome, looking around at all the No-Maj's who were surrounding the barrier. One voice in particular stood out to her, "Move out of the way, that thing killed my son!" The elder Shaw exclaimed with fervor. Following behind him were two reporters and more photographers, "I want justice! I'll expose you for who you are and what you have done!"

* * *

Back underground, Mr. Graves sent lightning down the metal rails to electrocute Newt who cried out in pain and staggered backward. Credence was behind him and he was damn sure going to protect him. He deflected another blast but that made him stumble backwards even more.

Then Mr. Graves sent lightning and ripped up the tracks to hurt Newt and throw him back onto the ground in pain. After seeing that Newt was down, he sent lightning after lightning strike at Newt causing him to yell in pain and curl inward, not even bothering to fight back at this point.

* * *

On the surface the No-Maj's chattered among themselves and Landon, who had followed his father began to laugh and through his hands up. He was right. HE WAS RIGHT!

His father motioned to the two photographers, "Look. Take photos."

* * *

Mr. Graves continued the bombardment of Newt's torture session. Mr. Graves only stopped as Credence had gone back into Obscurial form and was now above them. Mr. Graves fell to his knees, with a pleading look at Credence, "Credence." Mr. Graves started.

The Obscurial exploded outward and both Mr. Graves and Newt apparated away from the spot. They both jumped from safe spot to safe spot as Credence's black mass tore up the subway station.

Then Credence went straight up and into the sky, blowing outward in the night air and slamming downward into the tunnel, collapsing the ceiling onto the tracks below. Mr. Graves moved just in time to miss being hit.

Credence roared at Newt and Mr. Graves who were lying on the ground of the tracks, at his complete mercy.

Until, "Credence!" Two female voices called out at once, "No!"

Newt looked up and was shocked to see Tina and Lila approaching the conflict from the other tunnel. Lila was just a couple steps from behind Tina, but he could see that her nightdress was ripped in a couple places, her hair was out of place and she had dirt stains spread out on her face. Tina was in a similar state.

Tina and Lila slowed to a stop as Credence seemed to recognise Tina's presence or voice, "Don't do this." Tina pleaded, "Please."

"This isn't you." Lila stated, putting her hands up in a 'don't attack' formation.

"Keep talking, Lila, Tina. Keep talking to him. He'll listen to you. He's listening."

"I know what that women did to you." Tina stated, her heart breaking for Credence, "I know that you've suffered."

"No one deserves what you went through, Credence." Lila added, with tears in her eyes, "No one."

"You need to stop this now." Tina took a couple tentative steps forward, "Newt, Lila and I will protect you. This man, he's using you."

"He'll hurt you." Lila added, "Just like he's hurt me." She thought back to earlier were he threw her against the wall. She'd been pretty sure that without Tina's magic, she wouldn't be able to walk again, "He's nothing but a bully."

She saw Newt's head jerk towards her before Mr. Graves stated, "Don't listen to them, Credence. I want you to be free. It's all right."

"Credence?" Lila asked, Tina and Lila were significantly closer to Mr. Graves and Newt then were they were before, "That's it." She whispered as Credence seemed to be calming down.

She turned in shock as dozens of Aurors ran down the stairs and through the tunnel behind them, President Picquery leading the ones from the tunnel, "No!" She yelled quietly, "Shh! Don't!"

Tina agreed with her stating, "You'll frighten him!"

Mr. Graves turned and glared back at the Aurors, "Anyone who harms him answers to me! Credence."

"Credence." Lila stated, putting her hands out, "Shhh. It's okay."

Tina pulled Lila down to the ground as they ducked the spells flung by the Aurors, "No!" Tina and Newt yelled, desperate.

"No!" Mr. Graves yelled.

The screaming continued until the black mass exploded outward with a magical burst of energy, forcing Newt, Lila and Tina to the ground. Newt covered Lila as rocks tumbled to the ground. Black fabric floated in the air.

Credence was gone.

* * *

 **A/N: It's really hard to write battle scenes in this when you don't know what spells they're casting… tried my best. Hope you liked it! BTW, I've officially graduated with two degrees in Anthropology and History! Yippie! :D Onto my Masters Degree in Library and Information Science!**

 **Reviews:**

 _Momochan77:_ Thanks! I always thought it was super weird if the two people that were paired up by the author automatically fell in love in the first story or even first chapter. I normally turn away from stories that start off like that. I would say that the characters are running on adrenaline and lust and do not actually have feelings for each other. That's why I normally take one or two stories to get the characters involved with each other romantically. It just seems more plausible to me. You need to work on a relationship to make it actually work, not just the thrill of the adventure. Yeah, I'm also still a fan of the Halloween Town movies, I watch them every Halloween.

 _AmericanNidiot:_ I corrected the spelling of the Ashwinder egg, thanks for the save!

 _BookKeeper88:_ Thanks! :D

 _Love . Fiction . 2019_ : Thank you!

 **Favorites:** Karla Cipher, marie420, KitCat1994, TheRageOfTheSea, pageesss, and victoria cullen35.

 **Followers:** .ravenclaw, Karla Cipher, marie420, KitCat1994, , pageesss, and victoria cullen35.

* * *

 **Posted: June 1st, 2019**

 **Final Update: July 6th, 2019**


	11. Epilogue

**Epilogue- Where the Wild Things Grow**

Lila was shaking as she felt Newt's weight lift off of her to stare at the black fabric that was floating down from the explosion. He stood up. She looked up to see a dark expression on Newt's face. Darker than the time that he had to give up Pickett to Gnarlak.

Mr. Graves had moved up to the platform and was staring off at the falling black fabric, "Credence." He breathed, angrily. His plan had fallen apart. Someone would pay for this. The Aurors took a couple of tentative steps forward as everything settled down, "You fools." Mr. Graves hissed, "Do you realize what you've done?"

Lila helped Tina up. President Picquery stepped forward, her wand still out, "The Obscurial was killed on my orders, Mr. Graves."

"Yes. And history will surely note that, Madam President." Mr. Graves turned around, wand still in his hand, and advanced toward the group of imbeciles, "What was done here tonight was not right."

"He was responsible for the death of a No-Maj." The President justified, "He risked exposure of our community. He has broken one of our most sacred laws."

Still walking forward, Mr. Graves continued without hesitation, "A law that has us scuttering like rats in a gutter." He hissed.

Lila leaned closer to Newt to whisper in his ear, "Something's wrong." For someone so high up in the government chain and close trustee to the President... For him to be saying words like this, against his President's orders, something had to be up, "Be ready." She leaned back and saw Newt barely nodded. He got the message.

"A law that demands that we conceal our true nature. A law that directs those under its domain to cower in fear least we risk discovery." Mr. Graves stopped his advancement and threw his hands up in the air and sighed, "I ask you, Madam President… I ask all of you…. Who does this law protect? Us?" He pointed at himself, "Or them." He turned his pointer finger up at the ceiling. He dropped his hand and shook his head.

He turned and began to walk away, "I refuse to bow down any longer."

"Aurors!" Madam Picquery ordered, "Arrest him and escort him back!"

Mr. Graves was halted by a glowing shield over the caved in exit. He stared at it before nodding and turning back to face the American Aurors and began to walk faster towards them. He was the one to attack first, sending a blue jet-stream toward the group.

Newt shielded Lila from the blasts as the Aurors began attacking at force. Mr. Graves, it seemed, had enough power to his shield to advance closer and closer to the Aurors without becoming winded. He kept on advancing and at the same time managed to take out three of the guards surrounding the President.

Lila took one look at Newt and knew he had an idea, "Do it." She whispered. Newt just put his hand into his pocket and took out the Swooping Evil that he had scared the crap out of her before and swung it in the direction of Mr. Graves. It swooped over the heads of the Aurors and distracted Graves for long enough that Newt raised his wand and slashes it through the air. Out of the spell slides a crackling roupe of supernatural light that wraps itself around Graves like a whip. Mr. Graves tries to hold it off as it tightens, but staggers, struggles, and falls to his knees, dropping his wand.

" _Accio._ " Tina called and Mr. Graves wand flies from where he dropped it into Tina's outstretched hand. Mr. Graves looked around at the group with deep loathing. Newt and Tina slowly advanced and Lila crept forward, but slightly behind Newt.

" _Revelio_." Newt commanded. Mr. Graves transformed before Lila's eyes. She gasped as his hair turns from dark to pale blond and from dark eyes to bright blue. A different man now knelt where Mr. Graves was. Lila's eyes widened as she recognized him from the wanted posters in the Blind Pig. She took a step back.

Madam President takes a couple of steps toward him.

"Do you think _you_ can hold _me_."

The President straightened up, "We'll do our best, Mr. Grindelwald." Mr. Graves- Grindelwald- stared intently at Madam Picquery, his expression of disgust and then it turned into a small, derisory smile. Yes, this would work quite nicely with his plans. A small hiccup, for sure, but very nicely.

Grindelwald is forced to his feet by two Aurors, who move him toward the staircase entrance. As he reached Newt he paused, both smiling and sneering at the same time, "Will we die, just a little." Then he turned his attention toward Lila, "I'm impressed. A filth like you managed to stay alive in a fight against me. Rest assured, I will rectify this mistake." He flashed her a wide smile, showing his pearly white teeth and allowed the Aurors to lead him away up and out of the subway.

Lila shivered and crossed her arms over her chest.

* * *

Newt took Lila aside as the Aurors spread out and began to talk among themselves. He saw Jacob and Queenie make a beeline for Tina, so he had at least a couple of seconds to themselves, "Are you alright?"

Lila turned away from the sisterly reunion and stared at Newt, "Am I alright?! You were the one fighting Grindelwald and dealing with Credence at the same time!"

Newt swallowed at the mention of Credence and looked down for a brief second, then looked back into Lila's blue eyes, "Yes. But I'm not the one Grindelwald threatened to kill."

Lila pressed her lips together, "Well, he's headed for the slammer, right? A wizard prison? That's got to be hard to get out of."

"If he's headed toward the one I'm thinking of, then yes. No one's managed to escape from there. Grindelwald is powerful, but I doubt he's that powerful."

"So I'll be fine, right? He'll be locked away. He won't hurt me."

"Hey." Came Jacob's voice. Newt and Lila turned to where Jacob was standing, holding Newt's case of magical creatures, "I figured somebody ought to keep an eye on this thing." He handed it out to Newt who slowly took it back. Queenie released Tina from her hug and both turned around to the group.

"Thank you." Newt stated, nodding.

Madam Piquerly walked up, walking in between Jacob and Queenie, "We owe you an apology, Mr. Scamander." She finished walking by the edge of the platform, a little bit away from the group, staring up at the collapsed ceiling that now reviled open air, "But the magical community is exposed." She looked up to see that dawn was breaking, "We cannot Obliviate an entire city."

"Actually," Came Newt's voice, "I think we can."

* * *

Newt's case was set on the floor and the lid clicked open. Then, with prompting from Newt, the Thunderbird flew out of the case, startling the rest of the Aurors, Tina, Queenie, and Jacob. Lila was forced a couple of steps back from the force of the wind, but stood her ground.

The Thunderbird landed and licked his claws. Newt stepped forward, "I was intending to wait until we got to Arizona. But it seems that you're our only hope, Frank." Frank squawked and Newt hugged the Thunderbird's gigantic beak. Newt sighed, "I'll miss you, too."

Newt took a couple of steps back as the Thunderbird straightened up. He took out a clear vile that held blue liquid out of his pocket. Lila's eyes widened as she remembered that it was the venom from the Swooping Evil, the one that took away painful memories. She took a step back away from Newt.

"You know what you gotta do." Newt told Frank. Newt tossed the vile to Frank who caught it in his beak. Then he flew up through the hole in the ceiling. Lila could hear the screaming of the startled crowd that had gathered around the station as Frank flew away.

The Aurors moved closer to the hole, watching Frank fly up into the sky. The bright morning sunlight grew dim as the clouds swirled around turning dark and stormy. Lila thought that it looked like it was going to turn into a huge tornado, the way the clouds gathered and spun.

Lightning and thunder rolled across the city and a blue pulse of light spread outwards in the sky, like a shock wave in an earthquake. Immediately, clouds spread across the sky and rain fell down in buckets.

A huge group of the Aurors that were still left underground went up to help with the city clean up as the No-Maj's were forgetting about the day's events. By now, Lila had gone over to Jacob to talk about what had happened.

Thunder rumbled as the remaining Aurors fixed the damage done in the tunnel by the fight.

"They won't remember anything." Newt told President Piquery, "That venom has incredibly powerful Obliative properties." The lights slowly turned back on in the subway station.

"We owe you a great debt, Mr. Scamander. Now, get that case out of New York." The President responded.

Newt nodded, "Yes, Madam President."

"Shh. Stay behind me you too." Queenie stated and stood in front of Jaocb, "She's going to try to Obliviate you if she finds your still here." At that, Lila hid behind Jacob. She didn't want to forget this. Even with all the danger and running for their lives, she had loved it.

Piquery and her Aurors turned around to leave and then she stopped and turned back around, as if remembering something, "Are those two No-Maj's still here?"

Sighing, Jacob and Lila stepped out from behind Queenie.

"Obliviate them. There can be no exceptions." The President ordered. Everyone stared at her, hoping that she would change her mind, but, "I'm sorry, but even one witness…" She trailed off, "You know the law." She sighed, "I'll let you say goodbye." Piquery and her Auror guard left the tunnel system.

Lila closed her eyes before opening them. She didn't look at Newt as she walked with Jacob up the staircase, Tina, Queenie and New trailing behind them. When they came to the top of the stairs, they stopped and turned around as Queenie grabbed the back of Jacob's pocket. "Hey, hey. It's for the best."

Lila still wouldn't meet Newt's eyes.

Jacob breathed out, "Yeah. Yeah, I was never even supposed to be here." His voice broke, "I was never supposed to know," He shrugged his shoulders, "Any of this." He sniffled and continued his speech, "Everybody knows Newt only kept me around because…. Hey Newt, why did you keep me around?"

"Because I like you. Because you're my friend. And I'll never forget how you helped me, Jacob."

Jacob sniffled, "Oh." Tears welled up in his eyes and Queenie walked up the last few steps to place a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey… I'll come with you." Both of them chuckled, "We'll go somewhere." Jacob laughed weakly, "We'll go anywhere. See, I ain't never gonna find anyone like you."

Jacob laughed, shook his head, and pointed behind him with his thumb, "There's loads like me."

"No." Queenie shook her head, "No. There's only one like you."

Jacob gave a big sigh and smiled, "I gotta go."

Lila sniffed as Jacob turned away from Queenie… the women that he could never have. Which made her think, if she was never going to remember any of this… oh hell. She turned away from Jacob and rushed to Newt to give him a huge hug that seemed to last forever.

It was only when she heard Jacob clears his throat that she reluctantly pulled back and gave him a quick peck on his cheek causing Newt's neck to turn red, "Thanks for savin' me."

Newt stammered, "A-any time."

Lila swallowed, "I guess it's time for me to go. Even if my ancestry is magical, I'm clearly not. Rules are rules. It's not my world. Seeing it was an amazing accident. I loved every minute of it, but… I don't want you gettin' into trouble if the President finds out you didn't _Obliviate_ me." She sighed, "Goodbye Newt."

"Besides," Jacob stated, "It's just like waking up, right?"

Newt nodded and Lila and Jacob glanced at each other before grabbing each others hands. They stepped backwards a couple of steps before they felt the rain hit. They both closed their eyes and felt the memories of magic, wizardry, the Thunderbird, the Obscurial and all of Newt's magical creatures in the case fade from memory.

Lila blinked and saw that she was standing in front of the train station, her hand held in a stranger's hand. She yelped and tugged her hand away, "Hey- wait, aren't you Mr. Kowalski from the bank?"

Mr. Kowalski blinked and seemed as startled as she was, "Yeah, wait, where am I?"

"I was gonna ask you the very same question, Mr. Kowalski." She placed her hands on her hips.

"Well, let's find a Button. Our memory's clearly wanky. Something must have happened." Jacob suggested.

"Good idea. You lead."

* * *

Lila sighed as she closed her apartment door at the end of the long day. Apparently her work had been attacked by a gang. She and a bank customer, Mr. Kowalski, whose name she had learned was Jaocob, had been taken hostage. At some point in their kidnapping, Jacob and her had planned an escape.

The escape had worked, but had cost them their memories. Her boss, Mr. Bingly had given her paid time off to recover. She saw it as more of an incentive for her not to sue the bank than for her health. Anyway, after a long grueling interrogation at the police station, then Mr. Bingly's own inquiry, she was bone tired and hurt all over.

She set her bag on her table, that Mr. Bingly had given back… apparently she had left it in the bank that morning and had not had a chance to get it during the hostage crisis. She sat down and put her hands in the pocket of her coat.

That was the strangest thing. When she had "come to" outside of the subway station, she had been in pajamas and a coat that were not hers. She sighed and stuffed her hands in her pockets. She yelped as something bit her right hand.

Puzzled, she yanked her hand out to see a twig hanging on her right ring finger with puncture wounds around her first knuckle. It was moving and smiled up at her, waving one of it's tiny little hands.

She shrieked and fell backwards in her chair with a loud thud.

* * *

Mr. Kowalski walked into Morton Dale's canning factory, dreading another long, hot workday. In the middle of the crowd, a man bumped into him, "I'm so sorry." Jacob streightend and looked at his suitcase, which was now on the ground.

Jacob sighed and looked back at the man that had bumped him, "Hey!" He shouted. But the man didn't stop walking and was soon out of sight. Jacob sighed and guessed that today was just not his day.

He picked up his suitcase, well, tried to. It was too heavy. Confused, he crouched down and opened up the case to find about twenty, what looked like, egg shells. There was a small handwritten note on top.

 **Dear Mr. Kowalski, you are wasted in a canning factory. Please take these Occamy eggshells as collateral for your bakery. A well wisher.**

Jacob stood up and closed the case with a stunned look on his face. He could finally get out of this dump with the generosity from a complete stranger. He began to smile.

* * *

Back at the dockyard, Tina walked Newt toward his ship. They came to a stop by the ramp. Tina sighed.

"Well…" Newt stated, "It's been, um-"

"Hasn't it?" Tina asked, giggling. Her smile faded, "Listen, Newt, uh… I wanted to thank you."

"What on earth for?" Newt asked.

"Well, you know…. If you hadn't said all those nice things to Madam Picqurey about me, I wouldn't be back on the investigating team now. And what you did for Lila, convincing the police that they were hostages and didn't remember anything, that they didn't rob that bank."

"Well, what good would I be if I didn't get them out of the trouble I put them into?" Newt asked with a guilty smile.

"You do seem to get into trouble quite often, Mr. Scamander. I hope I don't have to investigate another of you cases. One was quite enough excitement for me."

"I'll try not to need investigating, Ms. Goldstein." Newt responded, "A quiet life for me from now on. Back to the Ministry. Deliver my manuscript."

"I'll look out for it." Tina said, honestly. Even though some of the creatures had creeped her out, they _were_ interesting, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them." She smiled.

The horn blew, signaling that anyone not on the ship, needed to get their buts moving. Newt turned back to Tina, "I'll send you a copy of my book, if I may."

Tina smiled, "I'd like that."

Newt sighed, "Well, this is it. I guess, I'll see you around sometime."

"Yeah. Goodbye Mr. Scamander."

Newt nodded, straightened his coat and walked to the ramp of the ship which read **Royal Star Steam Co**. He walked up the ramp and stopped at the entrance to the ship he turned and waved at Tina. She smiled and waved back. He sighed and turned to the entrance, nodded at the steward and entered the next leg of his journey.

* * *

 **A/N: Wow, it's the end of the first movie already! Can't believe the time has gone by so fast. This is the first book in my new series called The Thaumaturgy Chronicles. The book 2, which will be titled 'Legerdemain', will be posted on September 7th, 2019 and will follow the regular updating schedule.**

 **Have a fantastic summer and I'll see you all in September! Thank you to my lovely readers, especially to those who favorited, followed and/or reviewed this story. You've all made my day every-time you have done so!**

 **Reviews:**

 _Sparky_ She-Demon- Thanks! And, yes, there will be a sequel!

 _AmericanNidiot_ \- Yes! Legerdemain will be out in September!

 _Momochan77_ \- I know! Things would have been a lot different if they had just understood what he was going through and not "killing" what they didn't understand.

 _Love . Fiction . 2919-_ :D

 _Guest- LadyRedStar-_ So am I! I'm definitely doing a sequel!

 **Favorites:** _jcat305, arinichole, witchlouise, missymoo11, lilygirl592, civilwarrose, Sinner2016, chocolate-is-the-best, docwhox, fantasyqueen98 and, 10Queen._

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* * *

 **Posted: July 6th, 2019**


	12. Sequel Alert!

Sequel Alert!

Hey everyone, the sequel for Thaumaturgy, Legerdemain, is now live! Head on over to see the continuation of the story,

\- Bluebox345


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